Sub Rosa

The Ars Magica Magazine

Issue 14, February 2014

A Distant Lands Publication

www.subrosamagazine.org
Out Now and Coming Soon
Hooks
Authors: Christian Rosenkjaer Andersen, Jason Brennan, Richard Love, David Mac-
Gregor, Xavier Requejo
Cover Artist: Christian St. Pierre
Stock Number: AG0307 | ISBN: 1-58978-143-0 | MSRP: $22.95 US
Format: 96 pages, softcover
Release Date: March 2014

Transforming Mythic Europe

Authors: Timothy Ferguson, Mark Lawford, Mark Shirley
Cover Artist: Christian St. Pierre
Stock Number: AG0306 | ISBN: 1-58978-141-4 | MSRP: $29.95 US
Format: 144 pages, hardcover
Release Date: December 2013

The Contested Isle: The Hibernian Tribunal

Authors: Mark Lawford, Christian Jensen Romer, Matt Ryan, Mark Shirley
Cover Artist: Christian St. Pierre
Stock Number: AG0305 | ISBN: 1-58978-139-2 | MSRP: $29.95 US
Format: 144 pages, hardcover
Release Date: September 2013

Sub Rosa

Tales of Power
Authors: Christian Rosenkjaer Andersen, Mark Faulkner, Timothy Ferguson, Lachie
Hayes, Mark Lawford, Matt Ryan
Cover Artist: Christian St. Pierre
Stock Number: AG0304 | ISBN: 1-58978-138-4 | MSRP: $27.95 US
Format: 144 pages, softcover
Release Date: May 2013

2
 Contributors

This Issue
Publisher: Distant Lands Publishing
Contributors: David Agnew, Mark Baker, David Chart,
Jérôme Darmont, Mark Lawford, Ben McFarland, Mark
Shirley, and Gerald Wylie
Cover Art: Angela Taylor
Interior Artists: Angela Taylor, Jason Tseng,
Elizabeth Porter, Patrick Demo
Issue 14 February 2014 Art Coordinator: Ben McFarland
Layout: Mark Lawford
Editors: Ben McFarland, Mark Lawford
Contents
Contact Sub Rosa
Email: subrosa@distantlandspublishing.com
Under the Rose ....................................................... Page 4 Web: http://www.subrosamagazine.org
From the Line Editor ............................................ Page 5 Twitter: @subrosamagazine
Snail Mail:
By David Chart Sub Rosa Magazine C/O Mark Lawford
The Path Less Travelled ...................................... Page 6 119 Royal Sussex Crescent
Eastbourne
By Gerald Wylie BN20 8RJ
Verditius Longevity Devices ............................... Page 14 England
By Mark Lawford
Legal Disclaimer
Demography of the Order of Hermes ............... Page 24 Sub Rosa is an independent publication not affiliated with
By Mark Shirley Atlas Games or White Wolf Gaming Studios. Distant Lands
Publishing is not affiliated with Atlas Games or White Wolf.
The Journal of Vulcan .......................................... Page 34 Ars Magica is © Trident Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games. Ars
Magica, Mythic Europe, Covenants and Charting new Realms
An Eternal Love ...................................................... Page 38 of the Imagination are trademarks of Trident Inc.
By Jérôme Darmont Order of Hermes, Tremere and Doissetep are trademarks of
White Wolf Gaming Studios. Ars Magica was created by
Mythic Bloodlines .................................................. Page 52 Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen.

By Ben McFarland The intellectual content of Sub Rosa is © and held by the
authors. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any issue of Sub
Three Good Men of Bréifne ................................ Page 56 Rosa for commercial use by any means without written
By David Agnew permission from the Publisher, except short excerpts for the
purpose of reviews, is expressly prohibited.
The First Lineage: The Inventors ..................... Page 66
References to any Trademarks, Registered Trademarks or
By Mark Baker Copyrights held by any company or individual in Sub Rosa is
for promotional and recreational use. Use of these terms should
Mappa Mundi ............................................................. Page 75 not be construed a challenge to their ownership.
Sub Rosa

Contribute to Sub Rosa Subscription

Sub Rosa is made up of fan driven content. Individual Single Issue: US$4.50
Contributors receive a complementary copy of the issue
their work appears in. Individual Subscription – 4 issues: US$16.00
Troupe Single Issue: US$13.00
To contribute articles or illustrations, visit the Sub
Rosa website (www.subrosamagazine.org) and follow the Troupe Subscription – 4 issues: US$35.00
guidelines.
Thanks again to all who made this issue possible.

3
 Under the Rose
W elcome to 2014. It
doesn’t seem that long
ago that we were looking back on
2012 but we’re already now
bidding farewell to 2013 and
looking ahead to a new year.
Last year was a great year for
supplements. First we had
Antagonists, then Tales of Power,
followed by The Contested Isle: The
Hibernian Tribunal, and finally
Transforming Mythic Europe. Four
very different supplements
offer ing four very diff erent
propositions.
Antagonists provided a number
of well - conceived and f ully
detailed adversaries that you can
drop into your new and existing
sagas to provide instant story
content.
Again, Tales of Power presented
instant story opportunities
thr ough a number of s elf -
contained scenarios that explored
various corners of Mythic Europe
and the supernatural realms.
The Hibernian Tribunal book,
described by some as “ Ars
Magica turned up to eleven”
gave a Fifth Edition twist to a
Tribunal that we know a lot of
Ars Magica fans have wanted to
see for a very long time. This one
gave those looking to start a new
saga a great starting point and the
Tribunal and its culture was built
from the ground up with conflict
and story in mind. This is not one
to be missed.
Finally, we had Transforming
Mythic Europe, just creeping in
before the end of the year. This is
one for any saga at any stage of
its life and it is a phenomenal
4
resource of new effects but more
importantly of grand ideas. Just
like the Hermetic Projects book of a
couple of years back, Transforming
looks at what magi could do if
they put their minds to it. While
Projects focused on the work of a
few or the individual, Transforming
looks at what the Order could
achieve, how they could
transform the world in which
they live.
Looking at the book
production itself, Cam Banks
seems to have made a very
positive impact by bringing new
artists on board. While we hope
that we haven’t seen the last of
Grey Thornberry’s work in the
Ars Magica line, Christian St.
Pierre has been a great find and it
has been a privilege to work on
some of the books he’s
contributed to and to have seen
the cover art develop
(chr is ti anns tpier r e.com ). An d
Gabriel Verdon’s interior art
makes for a very bold injection of
quality (www.gabrielverdon.com).
Outside of the published line
we had a number of fan
enterprises.
CJ Romer started up the first
(as far as we know) podcast for
Ar s Magica in the Arcane
Connection series, and you can find
the complete series over at
arcaneconnection.podomatic.com.
Once again, we had very
successful Grand Tribunal events
in both the UK and the USA
attended by authors and players
alike. The UK event saw the usual
and very welcome Scandinavian
contingent trekking all the way
from Norway and Denmark to
their second home in the
increasingly charming Gas Green
church hall in Cheltenham.
Sub Rosa pushed the boat out
a little in 2013 and our monster
thirteenth issue took countless
views at the thirteenth House;
House Diedne. It was a project
long in the planning and we had
no fewer than seven published
line authors contributing content
directly concerning House
Diedne. It was certainly our
largest issue to date and we’re not
sure we’re fully recovered yet.
We also saw a great project
kick off over in the Atlas Forum.
Identifying a desire for a set of
vanilla covenants, the forum
regulars have started to build out
their own supplement (with some
impressive layout on display). If
you haven’t looked in on the
thread yet, you can find it here:
http://forum.atlas -games.com/
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=21778. It’s
looking very good already and we
hope it continues.
So what about 2014? Well, we
know that the first book out this
year is Hooks, and it sounds great;
a book dedicated to leveraging
the story potential in other
published materials? A way to
make the books you’ve invested
in pay for themselves? Count me
Sub Rosa
in.
Other than that, who can say?
Will we get another Tribunal this
year? Will we see distant areas of
M ythi c E ur ope and b eyond
explored? We don’t know, but it
should be another great year for
Ars Magica.
 From the Line Editor
T he mo st r e c e nt b ook f o r
Ars Magica was
Trans formi ng My th ic Europe . I t
includ es d etails o n t hr e e way s i n
which magi can completely
c hange Myt hic Eur o pe , fr om the
sim ple (ad d a ne w i sla n d nati on )
to t he comple x ( star t a magic al
ind ustrial revoluti o n). T his b ook
makes no c han ge s to th e offic ial
background, but nevertheless
ad d resses one of t h e most
imp ortan t pro ble ms in th e game 's
setti ng.
Fund amentally , My t hic E ur ope
makes n o sense . He r me tic magi
have en ough p owe r at the ir
fingerti ps t o d o alm os t any thi ng ,
and so there is sur e ly no way that
a recogni sably me d ie val soc ie ty
sh ould have sur vive d ha ving the
Ord er of He r me s pr e se nt f or
almos t 500 y e ar s. Wh y hasn't
e verything c han ge d ?
Transforming Mythic Europe
r ecogni ses t hat c r e ati n g a ne w
island i s a pr o je c t w i thi n t he
r each of freshly -Gaun tle t e d magi,
and provides support if a
troupe's player s wa nt to c han ge d
everything. In other words,
Transforming Mythic Europe
e xplicitly recog ni se s th at magi
Sub Rosa
c ould change t he w o r ld , and
provid es hel p and sup po r t if y ou
want them to d o i t in y our saga.
It pro vid es the offic ial ans we r to
the questi on " Wha t st o ps mag i
changing everything?" The
ans wer is: n ot hi ng. T he y c an if
they wan t to . Sinc e t h e play e r
magi are the ma in c har ac te r s in
y our saga, h owever, the y sh ould
be the one s d oi ng i t, ju st as the
pr oject s in Hermetic Projects were
By David Chart
Mystery I nitia tio ns , un covering
d e signed o n t he assu mp tio n t hat Ancien t Mag ic, or buil d ing t he
the p layer magi would u nd ertake id eal covenan t librar y. Mo st
the m. peo ple d o n ot try t o rad ically
That rai ses t he questi on of change t he w orld , and mos t w ho
why n o magi chan ged Europe d o, fail. People wit h the po wer of
be fore 1220. The real a ns wer, of Hermetic magic are mu ch more
c our se, is t hat a large part of the likely to b ot h try and succeed ,
poi nt of A r s M a g ica is to enable but it would st ill be a fai rly small
y ou to play game s set in min ority. I d oubt tha t even mo st
some thi ng tha t lo ok s a lot l ike player magi wil l fo llo w t he pa th s
m e d ie v a l E u r o p e , o nl y w i t h laid out in Transforming Mythic
supe rnatural element s. Ho wever, Europe, after all. T he Ord er is
that is a meta -game a ns wer, and small en oug h tha t we can say,
d oe s not ad d ress t he i ssu e of why wit hou t stretchi ng p l ausibili ty
it ha sn' t ha p pened in t he game to o far, that no ma gi d id enough
wor ld . No w t hat Transforming to cha nge t he w orld befo re 1220.
Mythic Europe has been p ublis hed, The future, ho wever, is a
we kn ow tha t t here is no thi ng comple tely d ifferent issu e.
inhe ren t to t he setti ng preventin g
it. So , w hy?
My ans wer is t hat , before
1220, n o mag i had d o ne so. T he
Or d er is small and t hi nl y spread ,
so a big chan ge to s ociety is
like ly to require concerte d effort
by several mag i. Small thi ng s
c ould have changed hi story
thr ou gh the butterfly eff ect,
but it is perfectly
le gitima te to d ecid e tha t
the y d id n't. A fe w ma gi
may have tried to
make big cha nges ,
but f or w hatever
reason, they
failed. Most
concentrated
o n o t h e r
projects, such as
5
 The Storyguide’s Handbook:
The Path Less Travelled
W riting stories for
Ease Factor 21 By Gerald Wylie
roleplaying games is a
difficult thing. It doesn’t matter
whether your story is intended
for your regular troupe, a one-off
session, a convention setting, a
fanzine, or even for the published
line; it’s just plain difficult. There
are a lot of factors to juggle, from
setting, to plot, to background, to
enemies, and that’s before we
introduce the ultimate variables –
the players.
This issue, the Storyguide’s
Handbook looks at one particular
technique for planning your
stories that should help you to
provide your players with options
in even the most linear of plots.
6
Why are RPG scenarios so
difficult? There are two principal
factors:
1) The need to keep the
players engaged
2) The unpredictability of the
players
Aside from the logic of the
story itself, the credibility of your
antagonists, judging the correct
level of threat, and injecting
sufficient peril, you need to cater
for and account for the players.
You may think you have a great
plot lined up, but how do you
really know that you have enough
content to keep the players
engaged until you play through it?
One of the great pitfalls is
misjudging the level of content
that you need to provide. It is
easy, as the one designing the
story, to get swept up in the
minutiae of the background,
expecting the players to naturally
want to discover all the detail you
have wr itten down in your
gaming folder. It is equally easy
to over-write things. Remember,
action tends to stretch in play and
there is a danger of writing in a
run of necessary actions before
the players progress past the first
couple of scenes.
Sub Rosa
 Within those scenes, it is
important to provide actions
and/or opportunities for the
ass embled players and their
characters. This is where knowing
your troupe and their characters
is important, but as you write up
your notes for what’s going to
happen over here in the ruined
priory or over there in the
flooded region, what are you
doing to make sure you are
providing points of interest for
each player?
For all your planning, it is
quite possible for the players to
decide upon what might seem to
you in the moment to be an
arbitrary course of action
unrelated to the set of notes you
have lovingly prepared. Seeing
those branch points, points in the
story where you haven’t given
sufficient guidance or too few
obvious options is not always
easy to see from a linear set of
notes.
What We Want
From Our Stories
Ars Magica, more than some
RPGs, inclines towards a
generally free and open
storytelling style. The broad
freedoms we enjoy with the
characters we play and the paths
they follow wants to influence the
way we design and run our
stories. Partly as a result of that
freedom, the characters each
player brings to the troupe are
often quite different, with
differing power levels, abilities,
Sub Rosa
and personal goals. Ars Magica
also has a very rich and complex
game world, which we’d all like to
explore and get the most from.
Finally, we also like to be
surprised; we like new things, so
anything we can do there helps to
enhance the game.
So, we want a story that is as
open-ended as possible with
regard to paths through it and
ways to resolve the central
challenges. We also want stories
that play to the strengths and
weaknesses of the characters we
bring, giving us moments to
heroically succeed or tragically
fail; either way, we want those
little spotlight moments. We want
our stories to reflect the game
world at least as far as our part of
that wider setting is concerned.
Finally, we want the next story to
differ from the last, to pose new
challenges and perhaps provide
different spotlights for different
characters.
That’s quite a lot to keep in
mind.
A Solution: Mind
Mapping
A mind-map is a diagram
consisting, typically, of words
representing ideas, people, places,
events, or other concepts joined
together by lines to form islands
of logically-related groups of
information. You typically start
with your central idea and put
that somewhere central on the
page. Then you start to add the
next s et of s ubordinate or
secondary ideas and connect
them to your starting point.
These might represent aspects of
that central idea, or ways of using
that idea that you’re going to
explore. Then, for each of those
secondary ideas, add in a further
set of ideas, people, places,
events, etc. that you want to
explore or keep track of. You can
keep doing that at any point
within the diagram, exploring
specific islands and removing
others as you see fit.
As a technique, it is widely
used across business and
a c ad emi a for its abi lit y to
springboard ideas, allowing them
to be recorded and explored in a
very visual way. It’s hardly a new
concept in the storytelling or
RPG worlds either, but we’re
going to look specifically at how
we can use it to develop our
stories in an Ars Magica context.
At a high level, you start with
something you’re comfortable
with, perhaps the entry point to
your story, the main protagonist,
an event you want to happen, or a
goal you want your players to
reach. From there, you start
adding the story events and/or
locations that you want to include
or at least you anticipate your
players heading to. From there,
you can add further events and
locations, moving further away
from your starting point.
For each of those nodes, as
we’ll call them, you can add in
smaller offshoots that define
what you expect your players to
learn, find, or do at each point.
That’s all a little abstract, so
let’s look at a worked example; a
story outline built from scratch.
We’ll assume that you’re using
plain old paper and pencil, but
we’ll look at the options a little
later.
Start Point
Turn your paper so that it is
landscape and then draw in your
starting point somewhere in the
middle. Let’s assume that we have
a coastal covenant and we want
to tell the story of a flood. All we
do is start by writing down “The
Flood!” in the middle of the
paper.
We might come back to that a
little later, but for now that’s a
pretty stark statement of intent
and certainly enough to get us
going.
7

Plot Points and
Locations
Once you know what your
start point is, start to add the
principal locations or events into
your diagram. However, just
looking at our paper, we don’t
even know what the cause is yet,
so let’s add a marker for that.
All we have in mind right now
is that we want a story of a flood.
We can either tell the story of
trying to prevent it or in dealing
with the aftermath, so let’s add
those options to the diagram.
We now have two solid paths
for the story to take. To be fair to
the covenant and the players, we
will probably favour the story of
how they prevented the flood and
saved the village… Save the
village! Actually, we should add
that as another node. So, we’ve
added a new path for Save the
Village, as the players may just
consider the flood unstoppable
and take the defensive route.
8
They might build a wall or
excavate a dyke to divert the
waters. We also need to know
how we’re going to prevent the
flood, so for that they will need
to know what caused it, so we’ll
develop that path with a suitable
node.
As storyguide, I don’t even
know the cause myself yet, so
let’s work that out. It could be
something gone awry with Seline,
the spirit of the moon, which is
causing a powerful tide. Sounds
interesting, but also hard to
interact with in any meaningful
way. So how about a war beneath
the waves? It’s an old idea, but
still an interesting one; we’ll pit
the faerie realm against the magic
realm.
Let’s take a look at where we
are.
We’ve coloured in the two
distinct paths that we’re planning
to develop and while we can see
that we still need to develop the
“dealing with the aftermath” side
it is also obvious that we haven’t
really added any detail to the
prevention side – we have a view
on what the players need to do,
but nothing specific as yet.
One other thing. We’re
probably done with that “What
Caused It?” bubble now; we’re
working on that elsewhere, so we
can scrub that.
Provide Player Options
By marking them on the story-
map, you can see what you’re
asking the player characters to do
at each node and make sure that
you have included areas of
interest for each of your main
characters. For instance, if your
story is likely to include a magus
specialised in Vim, with an
interest in spirits, an enchanted
staff that lights up a room, and a
susceptibility to the Infernal, then
you have at least four things there
you might hang an event or
option on.
Developing that idea, if the
story takes you to the ruins of an
early church, you might make the
crypt particularly dark, calling for
the magus to light the room, or
you might provide a suggestion of
a regio to be discovered, or
stories of ghosts that haunt the
ruins. Another magus may be
Sub Rosa
 fluent in multiple languages, have
spells to calm the enraged or
distraught, or have a fear of dogs.
You can build one or more of
those elements into the story
somewhere along the way.
Provide Clear Decision
Points
The players will decide how
they want to tackle each event
and option that you provide. You
can try to guide them, of course,
but rather than simply open the
door they might choose to blow a
hole in the wall. Ultimately, each
node in the diagram is a stepping
stone to the next part of the
story. Provide one or more
logical exit points onto one or
more story nodes. Your players
should not be left looking for the
next part of the story; they
should be able to see the options
you’ve laid out for them.
Accepting that it is difficult to
account for things you don’t
anticipate, the diagram should
help you to at least understand
where you want to send your
players and ensure that the routes
are open and easy to see.
In my experience, players tend
not to take the unexpected route
if you put a choice between two
Sub Rosa
or more clear options before
them. The difficult tangent is
only really drawn either when the
players are being expected to do
all the work or they don’t like the
single road opening out before
them.
If you do have a single road
that you want your players to
willingly go down then you’ll
need to provide an incentive.
Want the players to go back to
the village they were at
previously? Then you might give
them something to chase back in
that direction, or find something
that they feel duty-bound to
return, or receive new
information that casts their
previous interactions in a
different light. This kind of
incentive to move from one node
to another is a key part of this
process, and should be applied to
all exit points, but is made all the
more important when trying to
guide the players down a single
path.
Is this a Real Diagram
or Just in your Head?
You could keep this all in your
head if you have experience with
the memory palace technique, but
it is probably best to draw it out.
Firstly, it allows you to see the
shape of your story (more on that
later), but it also lets you see
what areas of the story are a little
thin, which areas need more
options for player agency or lack
points of interest.
It’s easier to see than just plain
text. A traditional write-up works
well to record lots of procedural
detail, such as background
information, character stats, or
more complex instructions that
you need to refer to during play,
but a diagram on a piece of paper
allows you to keep a very clear
track on where you are in the
story and where you’re going.
That’s harder to do with a few
pages of typed notes.
You can modify it on the fly.
Looking at our latest map, it
doesn’t make sense for the
“protect the covenant” and “save
the village” nodes to hang off the
“Discover the cause” branch, so
let’s move those out. They now
form perfectly valid responses to
the warning signs heralding the
flood.
But what if we are in play?
What if the players decide to do
s omething that you haven’t
accounted for? Perhaps they
decide that the threat is larger
than they can handle, perhaps
9
even to the wider Tribunal. As a
result, they go looking for a
specialist. As the process of mind
-mapping promotes rapid
plotting, you can simply draw a
new line from “The Flood” to a
new node called “Get Help”. You
can assume they go to a
“Covenant”, perhaps one they
already know, but you might
think that’s a little safe, so how
about redirecting them to a hedge
wizard, an “Elementalist”. The
Elementalist may feel unable to
10
help, perhaps he is old,
imprisoned, a drunkard, or any
other challenge that the players
need to overcome in order to get
him on side. Of course, all that
can just come naturally; you don’t
need a diagram to do that, but by
writing it down there and then,
along with the connections, you
let the paper do the remembering.
Adding Detail
With the flow of the story
plotted out, you can go ahead and
write out any notes you need to
cover the specifics. For instance,
you might need some stats for the
faerie tritons or the magical
merfolk. You may be inclined to
write your own, or you could just
add a note to the sketch pointing
at the relevant pages in Realms of
Power: Faerie and Magic.
How detailed you go is down
to you. You might add Ease
Factors, combat stats, reminders
of appropriate spell guidelines,
Sub Rosa
 even Damage Levels of doors or
other obstacles that you might be
asking the players to get past. It
is quite possible to add all the
detail you need to run a story into
the one sketch; it’s your sketch
and you’re going to be using it, so
give yourself whatever you need.
If you are going to use the
sketch as your main source of
notes, you may consider defining
the more detailed encounters in
their own sketches. Once a sketch
becomes quite large, you’r e
fighting against the confines of
space and/or usability and there’s
nothing wrong with flipping to
the appropriate sketch on
entering a new scene or branch of
the story.
Giving your Stories
Shape
Putting the diagram on paper
allows you to see the shape of
your story. By shape we mean how
the journey through the story is
made up by the points of interest
in your diagram. Shape is
important to visualise as it tells
you, as the storyguide, what
you’re in for. If you have a fairly
linear structure, with one node
leading to the next, then you
know you need to make those
transitions clear and obvious. If
on the other hand you have a
more distributed shape, then you
know you need to ensure you
have a good level of detail
p l a n n e d a c r os s t h e v a r i o u s
options.
Sub Rosa
Linear
A linear story starts at one
point and travels through a set of
expected story nodes with few
opportunities to branch out.
There is nothing wrong with a
linear story; it’s all about how it
is executed. Challenges may be
posed in succession and the fun
of such stories is in trying to
overcome each challenge as it is
presented. Quite often in linear
stories, the aim is to make the
players work towards the ultimate
goal, to present them with a
series of tasks and have them
work through each task in order
to reach the next.
In planning events in a linear
story you should consider making
the route to the next stage fairly
obvious, even foreshadowing
later stages so that the players
understand where they are
supposed to go. Linear stories
tend to work best when each
node presents an interesting
challenge, different to those
already encountered. That’s
where all the preparation is in
stories with this structure.
Branching
A branching story is pretty
typical and we’ve all run and
played them. From a starting
point, the players are presented
with choices of what they might
do and where they might go. At
each node, the path splits into
one, two, or more new branches,
each of which provides an option
for progressing the story. For
instance, let’s say that the players
need to take 40 pounds of silver
to a magus in a distant covenant
in settlement of a debt and
prevent a Wizard War.
The king’s tax collectors have
just arrived at the nearby castle,
but then there are rumours that
the bishop’s palace is richly
adorned with gold, silver, and
gems bought from his own
scourging taxes. Or there was a
casting tablet for a ritual to create
enough silver to settle the debt, if
only the magi can find it.
From those quick ideas, it is
clear that there are three different
routes to take and once the
players start down one route they
are unlikely to backtrack. Bearing
that in mind, try not to create
dead-ends. If you do create a
dead-end, don’t make the journey
down that branch too long before
the players hit it.
A branching story can be quite
difficult to write effectively as
you have to anticipate the major
routes through the story that the
players might take, so provide
strong clues as to what the
options are.
Bubble
The bubble story is an
interesting and rewarding gaming
experience. Early on, you present
your players with a set of
objectives, a checklist of sorts,
each of which can be achieved in
any order without dependency on
the others. Each of these
objectives can have their own
s tr u ct ur e , bu t th e y pr ov ide
discrete islands of incident. Let’s
use another example. The
covenant needs to cleanse the old
catacombs of an evil that has
been there for generations. They
need to find the divinely
enchanted knife, learn the secret
of the old ritual, identify the
living embodiment of the
p e s t i l e n c e f r o m a mo n g t h e
catacomb rats, and clear out and
re-consecrate the ritual site.
Should be simple enough.
Each of those acts can be
pursued in any order. The players
may even decide to run them
concurrently if they are given to
splitting the party. Each of those
acts provides their own set of
challenges and possibly different
tonal elements.
In some respects, the bubble
approach is quite easy to write
for; you have a set of story
islands, each of which you defines
some particular challenges for,
and then you have a wrap up
where it all comes back together
11
again. It is also quite suited to
one-off games as the structure
implies a defined set of paths to
follow and a defined end-point.
The challenge with these stories
is that there may be less agency
for antagonists and other NPCs;
the world tends to wait for the
players to complete their actions.
You can overcome this by having
actions in one area influence the
activities of those concerned with
another area. For instance, using
the example above, choosing to
learn the secrets of the old ritual
first might alert the spirits
inhabiting the old holy ritual site
and thereby increase their
preparedness. Alternatively,
gaining the knife before
attempting to re-consecrate the
site might prove to be beneficial.
Railroading
Railroading is the removal or
limiting of player choice and that
is a danger no matter the shape of
the story you’re telling.
However, there is a difference
between presenting a linear story
and railroading. Parts of the
Calebais scenario are really quite
linear, but the players enjoy a
degree of agency in how they
confront the challenges placed in
their way. And that’s the key. You
can guide your players from place
to place as long as you don’t take
their options away. You might
guide them to a hall of nervous
and aggressive Hrools, but the
players should have the option as
to whether to attack outright or
try to gain their trust and benefit
from their knowledge of the old
fallen covenant.
Important Nodes
Once you start joining the
story nodes together, you’ll start
to see which nodes are most
important. You are almost certain
to have points in your story that
12
you expect the players to move
through regardless of decisions
made earlier in the story. Pay
attention to these nodes and
ensure that you plan enough
detail into those encounters.
Not All Roads Lead to
Rome
A word to the wise; it may
make structural and thematic
sense to start a story during the
journey through France,
expecting the players to play out
the natural conclusion on the way
back through after they have
gained world experience and had
time to take on board the events
of the first part, but you can be
almost guaranteed that the return
journey will actually occur by sea,
or through the Rhine, or a faerie
trod; anywhere except following
the reverse route back through
France.
Don’t expect the route
between nodes to be pre-
determined unless you, as the
storyguide, take that element of
control away from the players and
cut from one place to another.
That is a fair approach to take;
treat the journey as a narrative
under the storyguide control. But
given that the players are within
their rights to assert their own
narrative, you are best-served by
ensuring that there is an incentive
of some kind to justify the route
you have chosen for the players
to follow.
Granularity
As we know, stories can play
out in a matter of hours, across
multiple sessions, across game
and real-world years, and even
entire sagas. So what is the
appropriate level of granularity
for this approach? There really is
no upper limit to how broad a
sweep you give your diagram, but
the chances are that you are going
to be best served by creating
different story maps for different
levels. For instance, if you start a
saga wanting to tell the story of
House Ex Miscellanea planning a
new Schism War, then you’re
going to need quite a high level
view on what major events you
foresee your troupe engaging in.
If you’re telling the story of the
rise and fall of a covenant from
foundation, through the seasons
to winter and its fall or rebirth,
then at the very least you will
want to map out the foundation
years, the passing seasons and the
events that describe them, and
the key challenges that decide
whether the covenant falls or
survives.
So you can create very high
level story maps with some very
high level branches in there (for
instance, does the covenant side
with Ex Miscellanea or House
Tremere?) and these provide the
points to aim at as you develop
your saga.
However, you can take a step
down from that to plan out
significant plots, perhaps plots
relating to individual magi, or the
development of the saga across
each season of its life. Doing this
at a magus level also has a very
distinct use; it keeps things
distinct. Assume you have four
player magi to deal with. You can
assume that at some point, each
magus is going to look for a
familiar. Even at the early stage
of the saga, you can put an event
on the story map for each magus
for that familiar. You might not
Sub Rosa
have a story in mind relating to
each or to any, but you have a
marker. As you learn more about
each magus, you can revisit that
story map and that familiar node
and keep making notes around it.
You can start to see the story
elements that you might include
for one magus and ensure that
 the familiar nodes for the other
three magi look different.
The lowest level you probably
need to go to is at the individual
story level, which is principally
what we’ve been looking at across
this article.
Playing for Time
How long should you spend
defining each scene or node in
the path? There’s no right answer
to that other than as long as you
need. The mind-map that you
create is unlikely to be the end of
the process as you will want to
source stats for adversaries,
design things such as books, vis
sources, supernatural effects, etc.,
and provide guidance for yourself
for when your players make their
way through the paths that you’ve
defined. The intention is that the
mind-mapping up front should be
light and fluid; a good way to get
to the crux of the story you want
to tell and to make sure that
you’ve accommodated all the
elements you wanted to.
How long should each node or
branch in the mind-map take to
play through? Again, that all
depends. The branches in your
mind-map sketches are unlikely to
be correctly proportioned against
time, although they might well be
proportioned against importance.
One branch may play out over
seasons, while a longer and more
involved branch may play out
more quickly while involving
more incident.
Sub Rosa
Mind-Mapping
Tools
You could use paper and pens
to work out your structure but
there are a number of dedicated
software options beyond the
basics such as MS Word or other
word processor packages or even
MS Visio. Of course, many
applications are also available for
mobile platforms, such as IOS,
Android, and Windows 8 and we
recommend you to search
through the relevant app stores.
To get you started, we’re picking
out just three solid applications
below, but there is much more
information available at the Mind
Mapping Software Blog
(mindmappingsoftwareblog.com).
Scapple
Scapple (available at
www.literatureandlatte.com/
scapple.php) is a light-weight
mind-mapping application from
Literature and Latte, the same
company behind the well-received
Scrivener authoring tool. Scapple
is clean and simple and available
for both Windows and Mac. The
application doesn’t try to impose
any kind of structure or
hierarchy, which just allows you
to get on with the business of
m a p p in g ou t yo u r s a g a or
scenario.
Currently desktop-only, the
maps are exportable to PDF,
image, plain text, rich text, and a
couple of others.
Freemind
Freemind (available at
freemind.sourceforge.net) is a
free Java application, with
arguably more features than
Scapple at this stage. It does tend
to impose a little more structure
than Scapple, which increases the
learning curve slightly, but the
price can’t be beaten.
Mind Meister
For the online and mobile
amongst you, there is Mind
Meister (available at
www.mindmeister.com), a cloud-
based mind-mapping web
application that is equally at
home on a desktop browser, on
an iPad, or an Android tablet (or
phone, come to that).
It is not a free service,
however, but it is well supported.
Ultimately though, the level of
visual polish achievable through
Mind Meister may be wasted on
plain old story plotting.
Giving it a Go
Mind-mapping your way
through a story design allows you
to quickly see your story’s shape
with greater clarity than pages of
text. It helps you to see which
areas need more detail and
because it is a freeform method,
you can add any detail you like to
the diagram, including ability
checks, ease factors, rewards,
page references, etc.; anything
you need to run that part of an
encounter you can conceivably
add.
The diagram makes a great
reference while actually running
the story as you can mark it up as
you go, keep track of where
things are, see what’s left, and
even change things on the fly
including adding or removing
content as the story dictates.
You can also use it to describe
the various levels of your saga.
You might define the large sweep
of where you want to take the
covenant, the Tr ibunal, the
Order, or even the cosmos in one
high-level diagram, and then use
others to map out the lives of
individual characters, and then to
individual scenarios and
encounters themselves.
As a technique, give it a go for
your next scenario and see how it
works out for you.
13
Verditius Longevity Devices
M agi of House Verditius are
seasoned craftsmen with a
magical heritage steeped the
enchantment of powerful devices
often beyond the capability of their
colleagues in other Houses. Their
Minor Mysteries allow them to create
tools far superior to mundane
craftsmen, to enchant magical casting
tools that enhance their own magic,
and to bind the power of spirits and
beasts into magical devices. Their
deeper Mysteries cover malign
magics, the reforging of broken
devices, and the creation of
automatons; beings of matter and
magic that sit at the very edge of
sentience. They are not, however,
noted for any particular affinity with
14
magics designed to extend their
lifespans. The Verditius Mysteries
described below seek to redress this.
This article introduces two new
Verditius Mysteries designed to give a
particularly Verditius feel to the
commonly-known Hermetic process
of extending a character’s natural
lifespan. The intention is to make
these new Mysteries immediately
useful to characters who will not have
been designed in advance of these
rules seeing the light of day but for
whom they ar e thematically
appropriate. For this reason, there are
practitioners of the first of these new
Mysteries currently operating out of
the Roman covenant of Verdi on the
By Mark Lawford
island of Sardinia. They can be
approached either for their services in
creating a longevity focus or to act as
mystagogues in initiating a magus into
this Mystery.
The other is perhaps more
difficult to find, but for reasons that
we’ll explore below, significant power
may be opened up relatively quickly
once the magus gains access to the
hidden knowledge.
Finally, we present some story
material to help players and
storyguides wanting to introduce
these new Mysteries to their sagas.
Sub Rosa

An Overview of
Longevity
The aging rules are detailed from
ArM5, page 168 onwards and
Longevity Rituals in the same book
from page 101 onwards.
In short, once a character reaches
35, they start making Aging Rolls
each winter.
AGING TOTAL:
Stress die (no botch) + age/10
(round up)
– Living Conditions modifier
– Longevity Ritual modifier
This roll is compared against the
table on ArM5, page 170. In essence,
a total of 3 or more results in the
character’s apparent age increasing by
one, while a roll of 10 or more results
in the rigors of aging applied to the
character’s characteristics as Aging
Points , whi ch als o build a
Decrepitude Score, just like
experience points towards an Ability.
Once a Decrepitude Score reaches
5, mortal death is not far off and
cannot be forestalled further by any
known means.
Hermetic Longevity Rituals act as
a negative modifier to the Aging Roll,
as per the formula above, serving to
reduce the possibility of looking and
feeling older.
There are two factors involved in
creating a Longevity Ritual:
1) A Creo Corpus Lab Total,
providing a +1 bonus for each
five levels of the Total
2) The expenditure of one pawn
Sub Rosa
deal of flexibility in the form a Example:
Longevity Ritual takes, from a
After being initiated into the Mystery of
traditional potion to a brief rite, to a
device that might be carried. This
the Hermetic Phylactery on the island of
Sardinia, the magus Vico Murino sets about
item or practice is termed a focus.
creating a belt. While the belt has a leather
The Longevity Ritual remains base, it is adorned with numerous silver
effective, providing its bonus to panels. This gives it a capacity of (base 6 x 2
Aging rolls, until the character size) 12 pawns of vis. He has a Dexterity of
experiences a Crisis as described in +2 and Craft: Silversmith of 5, and so must
ArM5, page 168. At this point, it is no expend a minimum of 7 pawns of vis to open
longer effective and must be recreated the device for enchantment. At the end of the
and the number of pawns of vis season, he has a silver belt that has both a
expended increased in line with the capacity to receive 120 levels of enchantments
character’s new age. and provides him with a +7 Longevity
Ritual bonus.
Some Terminology In the next season, he enchants the belt
Throughout this article will use the with an effect designed to allow him to fly;
term longevity focus to mean any item, ideal for reaching the top of the tower in
which his laboratory is housed.
rite, or practice that provides a
longevity bonus. Typically, this is the
longevity ritual itself, but in the case
of the Verditius practices described Longevity Bonus:
below, this may be a little more Crafter’s Dexterity + Craft
diverse. Ability Score
As an additional option, you can
The Mystery of the allow additional bonuses to this based
on the crafter’s workshop and any
Phylactery: assistants that they employ in crafting
the device. City & Guild, page 67
Enchanted Devices provides details on what other factors
you can consider including.
as Longevity Rituals
The device must be opened for
The Minor Hermetic Virtue of the enchantment with at least one pawn
Hermetic Phylactery is a mystery not for every five years of the character’s
widely known in House Verditius, but life, so a character who constructs a
books that describe its use are Hermetic Phylactery at the age of 40,
available and any with a House must open the device for
Verditius Lore Score of 3 or more can enchantment with at least 8 pawns of
likely recall if not the details of the vis, while a magus of 150 years of age
phylactery then certainly where those must have a device opened with 30
details were written down. pawns of vis.
In short, a Verditius magus Minimum Vis Capacity of the
initiated into this Mystery replaces the Opened Device:

of vis for each five years of the
character’s age
These are clearly limited by a
number of scores (Arts, aura, Magic
Theory, Stamina, help in the
laboratory, etc.) for the Lab Total and
the character’s Magic Theory Ability
score specifically for the second item.
We are told that there is a great
standard rules for Longevity Rituals
with a single requirement: A device
may be created and opened for
enchantment as normal in a single
season, and the crafter’s Dexterity +
Craft Ability Score becomes the
bonus applied to the character’s
Aging Rolls in direct replacement for
the Longevity Ritual bonus.
Character’s Age/5
All the usual rules apply for
opening the device for enchantment,
including the maximum number of
pawns that can be used in a given
season and its Magic Theory
limitation. The discount that Verditius
gain due to their score in the craft
Ability used to create the device is

15
applied normally. In addition, if the
magus has been initiated into the
Mystery of the Elder Runes, as
described in Houses of Hermes: Mystery
Cults, they can take advantage of the
increased vis usage that Mystery
allows.
At the end of the season, the
device is a permanent Arcane
Connection to its intended recipient
and begins to operate as a Longevity
Ritual with a bonus equal to the
crafter’s Dexterity + Craft Ability
Score as described above.
While a phylactery is typically a
small wooden box containing
devotions scribed on parchment and
worn strapped to the arm, this
Hermetic Phylactery may be as small
or large as required, made of any
materials determined by its creator,
and of any shape. It may even be a
compound device consisting of
multiple individual parts designed to
increase its vis capacity or utility.
16
There is no requirement that the
device’s target remain in contact with
the device or even have any regular
contact with it. Once the initial
season is past, the device and its
recipient may remain at an arbitrary
distance with no detriment to its
Longevity bonus.
Enchanting the
Phylactery
A s a de v i c e o p en ed fo r
enchantment, the Phylactery may be
enchanted with any standard device
effect, including those dependent on
any Mysteries known to the
enchanter. Filling a device with
enchantments has no detrimental
effect on its use as a longevity focus.
A failure of the longevity focus
also has no harmful effects upon any
enchantments it carries. The only
exception is that any effects that rely
on the Arcane Connection to target
its recipient start to fail unless that
Story Seed: A Political
Statement
A Verditius magus known to the
player Verditius enquires after books
or other materials as touch upon the
House Mystery of the Hermetic
Phylactery. The player Verditius finds
reference to it in some
correspondence but it says nothing
concerning the nature of the Mystery,
only that some believe it is being used
as a symbol of defiance against the
House.
Is this Verditius magus wandering
blindly into a political struggle? Or is
the magus trying to find out where the
player Verditius stands on the growing
animosity between Verdi and Domus
Magna.
Arcane Connection is subsequently
fixed through spending a season and
pawn of vis as usual.
Limitations
The device acts as a constant
enchantment, in the same way that a
regular Longevity Ritual does. This
means that the recipient gains one
Warping Point each year that he gains
the benefit of such a device.
The opening for enchantment of
such a device causes the failure of any
pre-existing Longevity Ritual affecting
the target recipient – the two effects
cannot stack.
Any attempt to create a normal
Hermetic Longevity Ritual for the
recipient of one of these devices fails
all the while the recipient continues to
benefit from an Aging Bonus
bestowed by the device.
Sub Rosa
If the device is investigated in the
laboratory, an Intellego Vim Lab
Total equal to or greater than the
longevity bonus x 5 is needed to
determine that it currently provides or
has provided a longevity bonus.
A device that has already been
opened for enchantment cannot then
be made to provide a longevity
 bonus. Similarly, a device that has
been opened to provide a longevity
bonus cannot subsequently be
attuned as a talisman or otherwise
have its vis capacity altered in any
way.
A device loses its ability to provide
a longevity bonus when it is broken,
as described in City & Guild, page 79.
Hermetic Phylactery
(Minor House Mystery)
A magus initiated into this Mystery
may make for himself or for another a
longevity focus by simply opening a
prepared device for enchantment.
Until the magus suffers an Aging
Crisis or the focus becomes broken,
the recipient enjoys a longevity bonus
equal to the vis capacity of the
opened longevity focus. The focus
operates as an Arcane Connection to
the recipient and may be enchanted
through any Hermetic means
available to the magus.
Sub Rosa
Initiation Script: Mystery
of the Phylactery
Ease Factor: 15
Script Bonus: +10
Script Details: The initiate first
serves the mystagogue as a laboratory
assistant for a full season (+1), after
which the initiate must swear
allegiance to the cause of Verdi over
Ingasia, gaining the Vow Flaw in the
process (+3). At the end of the
season, the initiate must travel to
Ingasia and there proclaim their
allegiance at the usurper Domus
Magna (+3), before returning for a
season’s tuition under the mystagogue
(+3). Those undertaking the quest to
Ingasia gain a reputation; Supporter
of Verdi (House Verditius) 4.
The initiate must have a score of 3
or more in Verditius Cult Lore before
undertaking the initiation.
This is not the original initiation
script for this House Mystery. It was
revised in the years following the
Primus’ decision to snub the
covenant of Verdi and instead make
the covenant of Ingasia in the Thebes
Tribunal the new Domus Magna of
House Verditius. The new initiation
script represents the growing
animosity between those loyal to
Verdi and the supporters of Ingasia.
The Mystagogues
Like so much now in Verdi, the
control of access to this Mystery lays
in the hands of resentful and hubristic
magi, angered at the continuing insult
perpetrated upon them by the magi of
Ingasia and the Primus.
It may be possible to find another
mystagogue who knows the Mystery
of the Hermetic Phylactery away from
Verdi with access to the original
initiation script. It is thought that one
such individual took up residence in
the Greater Alps over a century ago
and if she no longer lives then
perhaps her library may still contain
the script.
The Mystery of
Credne: Physical
Augmentation
While the Mystery of the Hermetic
Phylactery is a House Mystery known
to a few in House Verditius, The
Mystery of Credne (pronounced
CREY-nya) is peculiar to Hibernia
and may in fact now be lost. While
the Hermetic Phylactery acts as a
longevity focus external to the body,
this Mystery provides the power to
replace parts of the magus’ body with
enchanted devices in order to act as
longevity foci.
Some of this may sound familiar
to those who have read the
Inscription on the Soul Mystery, as
described in The Mysteries: Revised
Edition, page 69. That particular path
has a very different aim, however, and
the two forms of magic are unrelated.
17
Origins of the Mystery New Flaw: Monstrous
Nearly two centuries ago, the Appearance
magus Colla mac Morna, already
advanced in years, suffered an aging
crisis from which even Hermetic
Magic seemed unable to protect him.
Fearing the end, he called for
members of the Coill Trí (The
Contested Isle: The Hibernian Tribunal,
page 112), who conferred with the
Tuatha Dé Danann (The Contested Isle:
The Hibernian Tribunal, page 124). One
night, the ancient healer of the
Tuatha, Dian Cécht, arrived to seek
audience with mac Morna. While
there, he discovered that mac Morna’s
arm, withered and infected through
age, was the source of the crisis. He
proposed the Fate of Nuada; the arm
would be removed and replaced with
one crafted by his own hands from
silver. Colla mac Morna agreed.
Dian Cécht summoned the smith
Credne, who called for as much silver
as the covenant could muster and he
worked until dawn in the forges of
the Verditius magi. Finally, as the
cock crowed, the arm was completed.
With much ceremony, Colla mac
Morna’s arm was severed and the
silver arm created by Credne was
magically attached. Within moments,
Colla mac Morna’s strength returned
to him and he could use his new arm
with as much dexterity as he had ever
possessed.
In return for his trust in the old
ways, Dian Cécht granted Colla mac
Morna the knowledge to perform the
same service to others. For his part,
Shape-changers and
Airgetlámha
Shapechanging magic is common
across the Order, and in Hibernia in
particular. Those bearing airgetlámha
may still utilize shape-changing spells
as normal, including the heartbeast
power possessed by those of House
Bjornaer, but while the airgetlámha
change shape to accommodate the new
form, they remain obviously objects of
18
Major General Flaw
This Flaw repackages the Monstrous imposed by the Gift and the character
Appearance Major Magical Inferiority, is treated as having the Blatant Gift for
as described in Realms of Power: Magic, the purposes of calculating prevailing
page 42, as a Flaw that characters
unable to take Inferiorities can take.
Having become simultaneously both
more and less than human, the
character’s appearance is considered
mac Morna counted himself an ally to
the Tuatha Dé Danann from that day
on.
Creating Airgetlámha
The devices created through this
Mystery are called Airgetlámha (areyd
-LAHW-ah), literally meaning Silver
Hands after the silver hands crafted
both for King Nuada of the Tuatha
De Danann and for mac Morna. The
Verditius spends a season crafting the
Airgetlám (areyd-LAHW) and opening
it for enchantment, just as with the
Mystery of the Hermetic Phylactery.
The Airgetlám can be of any material,
but it must act to directly replace a
part of the human body and so must
be of broadly appropriate shape and
construction.
The restriction on the number of
pawns with which the device also
remains; i.e. it must be opened with a
minimum of character’s age/5 pawns
of vis.
Similarly, the longevity bonus is
also calculated in the same way as for
the Hermetic Phylactery, i.e. the
artifice.
For instance, a magus bearing an
airgetlám in the shape of a mechanical
bronze leg turns himself into a stag to
better explore the woodland. The
resulting stag also has an obviously
bronze mechanical leg, which gives it a
Monstrous Appearance.
monstrous to others, resulting in a –6
penalty in all social situations, or to any
rolls involving the trust or loyalty of
others. This stacks with any penalty
covenant loyalty.
creator’s Dexterity + Craft Ability
Score.
In practice, there are only four
parts of the individual that cannot be
replaced. These are the liver, the
gallbladder, the spleen, and the brain,
as these correspond to the natural
humors, as described in Art &
Academe, page 38.
The restrictions on the number of
pawns that need to be used are
exactly as for the Hermetic
Phylactery.
The airgetlám is attached to the
recipient through a Hermetic ritual,
described below, during which the
original body part is removed and the
airgetlám joined with its host. It is
then a natural extension of its bearer,
enjoying all faculties of motion and
sensation as did its predecessor.
Attaching the
Airgetlám
Once the work of Credne has
been done and the airgetlám created,
the Rite of Dian Cécht can begin and
the airgetlám can be attached. In
Hermetic terms, this is a ritual spell
reliant on knowledge of the Mystery
Sub Rosa
to design.
The ritual itself is designed as a
general level spell and is fully
described in the nearby box.
In the event of a Casting Tablet
detailing this ritual being found,
confident magi may attempt to follow
its instructions without knowing the
underlying Mystery.
 Effects of the The Rite of Dian Cécht granted by the airgetlám, so a level 50
MuCo General, ritual, Mystery Rite is required to attach an airgetlám
Airgetlám granting a longevity bonus of 10 to a
A bonded airgetlám functions in R: Touch, D: Special, T: Group recipient.
every way just like a natural extension This ritual, cast with casting The new base effect for this is
of the recipient’s body; a direct requisites as appropriate for the target essentially:
replacement for the natural organ or airgetlám, binds the airgetlám to the
limb that it replaces. host. During the rite, the limb or organ Base Bind an airgetlám to a
host where the level of the spell equals
The recipient of the airgetlám to be replaced is excised or severed (five time the longevity bonus) + 30
suffers from the effects of the and the replacement attached. The levels.
Monstrous Appearance Major removed organ is burned, destroying
Magical Inferiority, as described in its essence entirely, and the body and It is not necessary to design a
Realms of Power: Magic, page 42. the new airgetlám become one. unique ritual per airgetlám or recipient.

Each airgetlám provides a +1 The ritual’s level must equal or (Base, +1 Touch, +4 Special
Form Bonus against Corpus effects. exceed five times the longevity bonus Duration, +1 Part)

A recipient of an airgetlám can no

longer gain longevity bonuses from
either the common longevity ritual
practiced by the Order or from the
Hermetic Phylactery known to House
Verditius. Once an airgetlám has been
bonded with the bearer, no other
longevity magics will work for him.
Beyond this, the airgetlám has a
number of effects over and above the
Hermetic Phylactery described above.
Airgetlámha and the
Longevity Bonus
A magus gains a longevity bonus
equal to the number of pawns used to
open the airgetlám for enchantment.
However, the magus may have more
than one active airgetlám at any one
time, in which case the bonus is equal
to the highest value focus, plus one
for each other active airgetlám
possessed by the magus. An active
airgetlám is one that has not yet failed
through Crisis, as described below.
Airgetlámha and Aging
Points
While the magus may still gain
Aging Points, while bonded with an
airgetlám functioning as a longevity
focus, any Aging Points gained are
not applied to the character’s
characteristics. They still contribute to
the Decrepitude Score as normal,
however. This results in further
protection against the ravages of time.
Airgetlámha and Crisis
An airgetlám cancels the effects of
a Crisis incurred as a result of the
next failed Aging Roll. The Aging
Crisis still causes the longevity focus
to fail, leaving the magus potentially
unprotected against further aging, but
any other deleterious effects of the
Crisis are avoided.
As described above, a magus may
benefit from multiple embedded and
bonded airgetlámha. When subject to
Crisis, the highest value active
longevity focus is cancelled. This may
not leave the magus unprotected,
however. If there are more than one

Faerie Airgetlámha Dexterity + Craft Pretence Score and The Faerie Rite of Dian Cécht
it costs the faerie 1 Might Point per At the cost of 10 Might Points, the
This article looks at the Mystery of
point of bonus. So, a silver arm faerie with this power can attach a
Cedne as practiced by House
providing a longevity bonus of 10 specially crafted airgetlám to a
Verditius, but the same service can be
costs 10 Might Points (which is the recipient. The maximum longevity
secured from the Tuatha Dé Danann.
maximum possible using this power). bonus that the airgetlám can provide is
There are physicians and craftsmen
Sub Rosa

still within that Tuath who can both
craft and attach these airgetlámha, if
they can be found and bargained with.
The following powers represent these
ancient gifts.
The Craft of Cedne
The faerie crafter creates an
airgetlám for a specific recipient. The
longevity bonus is based on the faerie’s D: Momentary, T: Individual, Ritual)
Points spent in this way can only be 10. Anything beyond this is too potent
regained by consuming faerie vis for this power and the ritual fails.
associated with the form of Vim, or in Points spent on this power can only be
taking back and destroying the regained by consuming faerie vis
airgetlám. associated with the form of Corpus.
This Ritual Power costs the faerie This Ritual Power costs the faerie
two Ritual Power Virtues to buy. two Ritual Power Virtues to buy.
Costs 50 levels. Special, (R: Touch, Costs 50 levels. Special, (R: Touch,
D: Special, T: Group, Ritual)

19
active longevity foci, then the next Appropriate Airgetlámha The troupe should be a sensible arbiter
lowest is then used to determine any on these, but a decent rule of thumb is
There may be a temptation to create
longevity bonus for future years. whether the loss of that body part
a multitude of airgetlámha as each
might be the cause of a Flaw, such as
active longevity focus at least provides
Missing Hand, Missing Eye, Afflicted
Airgetlámha and a bonus of +1 to the final resulting
Tongue, or Lame, for instance.
longevity bonus. Eager players may
Warping seek to replace individual digits with But remember also that the more
A magus may have multiple airgetlámha, or even individual joints airgetlámha a character has operating
Airgetlámha, and while they act as an within those fingers, or perhaps as active longevity foci, the more
active longevity focus, they each act individual teeth. However, these are warping that character gains each year.
as a constant magical effect upon the not appropriate. There is a definite balance to be had
host, each in turn providing 1 and characters could consider adding
The magic of airgetlámha works on
Warping Point per year. In the event the principle of significance; a tooth is further airgetlámha only when the
of an Aging Crisis or damage causing not significant, but a jaw is. A finger is beneficial effects of a previous
an airgetlám to cease functioning as a not significant, but a hand or an arm is. airgetlám cease.
longevity focus, the airgetlám no Hair is not significant, but a skull is.
longer causes warping.
When a character bearing They do nothing to alter the number you don’t have City & Guild available,
airgetlámha gains the scars of twilight of body levels their bearer possesses, the nearby box gives you a quick
or other warping effects, the but they are themselves subject to guide on judging Damage Levels.
airgetlámha are also directly affected. damage in stressful situations. Where more than one airgetlámha
They may become enlarged, or
Whenever the bearer of an are carried, then the Storyguide
discoloured, or even grow new detail
airgetlám suffers a Medium Wound or should decide which device is
that was not present before.
greater, a Damage Check must be affected.
made to the airgetlám. If the roll fails, Once an airgetlám loses all its
Airgetlámha and the airgetlám loses a Damage Level. Damage Levels, it is broken. Any
As a rule of thumb, most airgetlámha enchantments in the device cease
Damage have two Damage Levels (Standard working immediately and it no longer
Airgetlámha have Damage Levels, Quality construction and size -1, as contributes a longevity bonus. It also
as described in City & Guild, page 77. described in City & Guild, page 77). If ceases to function as a limb or organ.

The Mystery of Cedne Initiation Script: Mystery of initiate bonded with the airgetlám,
Cedne going through the ordeal of gaining the
(Major House Mystery)
new Monstrous Appearance Flaw
While the magical knowledge Initiation into this mystery always (+9).
behind this Mystery ultimately stems involves the initiate becoming bonded
The initiate must have a score of 3
from the Tuatha Dé Danann, it is with their first airgetlám.
or more in Verditius Cult Lore before
considered a Verditius House Mystery Ease Factor: 21 undertaking the initiation.
as none outside of that House have
ever learned it. Script Bonus: 21 This initiation is unusual in that the
Script Details: The initiate must mystagogue may be either a magus of
A magus initiated into this Mystery
first gain the blessing of the Tuatha Dé House Verditius who knows the
gains the power to create airgetlámha
Danann by undertaking a quest at their Mystery, or it could be one of the
and bind them to their recipients
Sub Rosa

behest (+3). Once the Tuatha Dé Tuatha Dé Danann who possess the
through the Rite of Dian Cécht using
Danann grant their blessing, the requisite powers. If a member of the
the rules above. They have knowledge
mystagogue can proceed and he Tuatha Dé Danann acts as the
enough to create their own versions of
spends a season crafting and opening mystagogue, the initiate must have a
the Rite, allowing for different levels
for enchantment an airgetlám for the score of 3 or more in Area Lore:
of effect. They may also act as
initiate (+3), forged in the ashes of the Hibernia before undertaking the
mystagogue to others seeking this
initiate’s talisman (+6). At the initiation.
power.
culmination of the season, the Rite of
Dian Cécht is performed and the

20
 A shattered airgetlám eye no longer repaired eye can see; a repaired hand Casting Tablet: Rite of Dian
sees and a broken airgetlám becomes can grasp) and the associated Flaw is
Cécht
lame. The bearer gains an appropriate removed. Its function as a longevity
Flaw to model this damage. focus is not restored, however. It is possible that a casting tablet
detailing the Dian Cécht may be
found. If it is, it may be written down
Repairing Airgetlámha Enchanting in vernacular Gaelic instead of Latin
Damaged airgetlámha may be to disguise its true purpose.
Airgetlámha
As with any other opened device, One way to introduce the Mystery
Assessing Damage airgetlámha may be enchanted using of Cedne into your saga quickly is to
have a pre-existing airgetlám found
An airgetlám loses a Damage Level any standard or Mystery magics know
along with a casting tablet of the Rite
if the bearer fails a Dexterity + to the enchanter.
Finesse Stress roll against Ease at a level suitable to use. This gives
They have one advantage over players and characters the opportunity
Factor 15. The roll gains a bonus other devices, one shared by
equal to the magnitude of effects talismans; the enchantments may use to explore this magic based on the
enchanted into the device. deeds of ancient Tuatha Dé Danann
the Personal range to affect the bearer heroes.
On a botch, the airgetlám is struck to which the airgetlám has been
The tablet may purport to be an
from the bearer’s body instead of bonded.
accurate description of the Rite
losing a Damage Level. Constant effects, whether they are actually carried out by the physician
designed to affect the bearer or the Dian Cécht himself. If true, that
airgetlám itself, are a source of
repaired. A dedicated season spent by warping as described in ArM5, page would make a potent trophy for any
a craftsman repairing an airgetlám 168. Hibernian covenant.
automatically restores any Damage
Levels that have been lost. The
season may be treated as a season of Restrictions removing an airgetlám may be healed,
Practice, for book-keeping purposes. Airgetlámha may be created only but the removed limb or organ
A broken airgetlám may be for those with the Gift or with some cannot be replaced through Creo
repaired, but this requires a magus of form of Supernatural Might. Corpus magic; the essential nature is
House Verditius initiated into the now such that it may only be replaced
Once the airgetlám is bonded to either by re-bonding the removed
Mystery of Reforging Enchanted the host, it becomes part of their
Items (Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, essential nature and cannot be airgetlám or through some other
page 125). Reforging the device r e m o v e d w i t h o u t i n j u r y o r magic to replace the missing limb
restores its intended function (a consequence. Any wound left through with another of the same material as
the removed airgetlám.

Example: Airgetlámha and and he does begin to suffer a constant longevity bonus of +8 (Dexterity +2
Aging
Finn, a 35 year old magus,
undergoes initiation into the Mystery
of Cedne, gaining a mechanical bronze
arm in the process. Created by a
master craftsman, the bronze arm
gives him a longevity bonus of 12
Sub Rosa
one warping point per year. He
continues untouched by the ravages of
years until the age of 58, at which
point he has an apparent age of 38, but
during a freak winter experiences a
Crisis. He suffers no ill-effects from
the crisis thanks to his airgetlám but it
and Craft: Carpenter +6).
In order to provide a further
longevity bonus, he sacrifices his other
leg, creating a second iron airgetlám.
After going through the ritual, he now
has a total longevity bonus of +9 (8
for the first active airgetlám, +1 for the

no longer provides a longevity bonus. second).

(Dexterity +3 and Craft: Smith +9).
He also gains one point of Hubris.
At the end of his 35th year (which
we’ll call Year One), he makes an
Aging Roll. His bronze arm provides
such a longevity bonus that he suffers
no ill effects from aging, but he does
have the Monstrous Appearance Flaw
Now reliant on his own
craftsmanship, he creates a new
airgetlám, an iron leg. He opens it for
enchantment with a capacity of 15
pawns of vis, which exceeds the
required minimum of 12, and, with
help, conducts the Rite of Dian Cécht.
He now has an airgetlám providing a
By the time he reaches 100 years of
age, he has suffered no further aging
crises and has an apparent age of 71.
He has gained fewer than 10 Aging
Points, giving him a Decrepitude Score
of 1.

21
A
bonded airgetlám functions in every way
just like a natural extension of the
recipient’s body; a direct replacement for
the natural organ or limb that it replaces
enchanted airgetlámha is a potentially
potent means of not only gaining a
significant longevity bonus, but also a
number of additional enchantments.
As these unusual devices may be
taken from the living or dead and
reused for full effect, those who bear
airgetlámha would do well to be
suspicious of those who enquire after
them.

removed from its host, living or dead,

Airgetlámha and
Hubris
Replacing natural body parts with
devices of artifice is a hubristic act.
Unsurprisingly, Verditius magi who
undertake this path gain Hubris, as
described in Houses of Hermes: Mystery
Cults, page 118. The nearby table
shows the number of experience
points gained for various airgetlám-
related activities. In addition, he can
also add his Hubris score when
enchanting an airgetlám.
Increasing Hubris
These additional behaviours
should be considered alongside the
table on Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults,
page 120.
and bonded with another host. This
bonding is performed through the
ritual described above and all the
same restrictions apply.
The new host treats the airgetlám
as a longevity focus providing a
bonus equal to the number of pawns
of vis used to open it for
enchantment. Additionally, existing
effects enchanted into the airgetlám
that use the Personal Target now
affect the new host.
This means that for a magus
initiated into the Mystery of Cedne,
the finding of old and already
Character Sheet
A supplementary character sheet
would be useful to record the
airgetlámha bonded to the character.
The included example indicates
which body-parts have been replaced,
the Aging Bonus that each airgetlám
provides, the number of damage
levels each has and their status, and of
course any enchantments that they
might contain.

Experience
Behaviour
Points
Gaining an airgetlám 1
Crafting an airgetlám
3
for another

Enchanting an airgetlám 1

Reusing Airgetlámha
Sub Rosa

The ritual used to bond the

airgetlám to the individual ensures
that the airgetlám becomes part of
that individual’s essential nature. This
means that the airgetlám does not
need to have been built, opened for
enchantment, or even enchanted for a
particular individual. If a magus finds
an existing airgetlám, it can be

22
Location: Location: Location: Location:
Arm/Hand Eyes Ears Arm/Hand
Longevity Bonus: Longevity Bonus: Longevity Bonus: Longevity Bonus:
Damage Levels: □□□□□ Damage Levels: □□□□□ Damage Levels: □□□□□ Damage Levels: □□□□□
Description: Description: Description: Description:

Enchantments: Enchantments: Enchantments: Enchantments:

Location: Location:
Heart/Lungs Guts
Longevity Bonus: Longevity Bonus:
Damage Levels: □□□□□ Damage Levels: □□□□□
Description: Description:

Enchantments: Enchantments:
Sub Rosa

Location: Location:
Leg/Foot Leg/Foot
Longevity Bonus: Longevity Bonus:
Damage Levels: □□□□□ Damage Levels: □□□□□
Description: Description:

Enchantments: Enchantments:
Airgetlámha Record Sheet for:

23
 Demography of the
Order of Hermes
T his article intends to draw
together what is known about
the size and demography of the Order
of Hermes from Ars Magica Fifth
Edition sources, and use this
information to make predictions
about the Order’s past and its future.
These predictions rely on
mathematical principles that I employ
in my day job, but I have tried to keep
the main article algebra-free. All the
details of the predictive models has
been left to the end of the article, as a
point of interest for anyone wanting
to see the assumptions made.
Current Size and
Age Profile
In its 453rd year (1220 AD), the
Order of Hermes numbers some
House Population at 1220
Bonisagus 81
Bjornaer 79
Criamon 94
Ex Miscellanea c. 180
Flambeau 114
Guernicus 98
Age Distribution of the Order
1240 magi. This number is obtained
from the three Houses of Hermes books,
which state (in two cases
approximately) the size of each of the
12 extant houses (see the nearby box).
There is no need to treat the
unGifted redcaps (who make up
about 12% of the Order) as any
different from a Gifted magus. They
have a 15 year apprenticeship just like
the rest of the Order, and thanks to
longevity rituals supplied by their
House, redcaps can expect a life as
long as any other member of the
Order.
We can also gain an idea as to the
age distribution of the Order.
Amongst the Tribunal books written
for Ars Magica Fifth Edition there
are 261 magi with their ages listed.
I’ve divided these into five age
categories. Spring magi are those
Jerbiton 102
Mercere 12 + c. 150
Merinita 68
Tremere 92
Tytalus 96
Verditius 74
Observed Observed
By Mark Shirley
fresh from apprenticeship. Summer
magi are burgeoning powers. Autumn
magi are at the zenith of their Arts.
Winter magi are beginning to show
their age, and Deep Winter magi are
the venerable sages close to Final
Twilight.
The third column of this table
gives the distribution as listed in the
Tribunal books. The first thing to
note is that there is a notable lack of
Spring magi. However, in most sagas,
this role is assumed to be taken by
player characters, so I’ve added a
covenant of 5 Spring magi to each of
the tribunals and recalculate the stage
distribution. The result is shown in
the rightmost column.
What is immediately noticeable is
that the Order of Hermes is
dominated by Summer magi, with
Autumn magi being the second most
numerous. Truly ancient magi in
Deep Winter are scarce at less than
half a percent: only 4 magi are
anticipated to fall into this category in
the whole Order.
Historical Events
Affecting
Demography
There are three events in the
Sub Rosa

Stage Age Range incl. PCs history of the Order of Hermes that
(percent) (percent) would have influenced its speed of
Apprentice 0 – Gauntlet – – growth: the formation of House Ex
Miscellanea, the corruption of House
Spring Gauntlet – 35 14.20 23.00
Tytalus, and the Schism War. First we
Summer 36 – 70 42.50 38.10 should start with the initial conditions
Autumn 71 – 120 34.10 30.60 in 767 AD, when the Founders of the
Winter 121 – 180 8.80 7.90 Order first met at Durenmar.
Deep Winter 181+ 0.40 0.30

24

The Founding
The Order was founded by
thirteen wizards: the twelve Founders
and Trianoma. From the information
in the three Houses of Hermes books,
we can estimate the ages of the
Founders.
Birna, Tremere, and Trianoma
wer e pr obably Spr ing magi.
Bonisagus, Criamon, and Merinita
were probably Autumn magi, and the
remaining seven magi (Diedne,
Flambeau, Guernicus, Jerbiton,
Mercere, Tytalus, Verditius) were
likely to be Summer magi. Although
Pralix (and perhaps other apprentices
such as Notatus) were present from
the start of the Order, they would
have been included in the first batch
of recruits as they could not have
commenced Hermetic training prior
to the Founding.
House Ex Miscellanea
In 817 AD, House Ex Miscellanea
was formed from Pralix’s Ordo
Miscellanea. This rival to the Order of
Hermes consisted of the hedge
wizards that Pralix had assembled in
order to defeat Damhan-Allaidh, plus
those wizards who fought with The
Spider who Pralix was able to recruit
after the battle. We know that when
House Ex Miscellanea joined, this
doubled the size of the Order at that
time (Houses of Hermes: Societates, page
101).
The Corruption of
House Tytalus
In total, seventeen magi were
Marched when the Corruption of Numbers of Magi at Each Life Stage
House Tytalus was discovered in 967
Sub Rosa
AD (Houses of Hermes: Societates, page
74). We can probably assume that
some, if not all of their apprentices
were killed as well.
The Schism War
The Schism War was perhaps the
most traumatic event in the Order’s
history. The entirety of House Diedne
was Renounced and exterminated, but
they did not go quietly. We know that
House Diedne was the largest house
in the Order at that time (Houses of
Hermes: True Lineages, page 40), and so
we can conservatively estimate that a
full twelfth of the Order was a
member of this house (leaving
11/12ths of the Order to be divided
between the remaining twelve
houses). Houses Flambeau and
Tremere were heavily involved in the
fighting, and perhaps lost a third of
their members in the eight years of
the war. We are told that four other
houses strongly opposed House
Diedne: Bonisagus, Ex Miscellanea,
Guernicus, and Jerbiton. Maybe a
quarter of each of these houses were
killed. Finally, the remaining six
houses would not have escaped
unscathed, and perhaps lost a fifth of
their numbers as well. Overall, this
translates to just over 3 in every 10
magi perishing; a massive effect on
the Order’s numbers.
Mundane
Demography of
Mythic Europe
Trends in demography of the
medieval period in Europe can be
divided into five basic phases.
Between 400 and 1000 AD the
population was stable at a relatively
low level of about 30 million.
Between 1000 and 1250 AD there
was a boom period of rapid
expansion, followed by a hundred
Predicted
Stage
(number)
Apprentice 360
Spring 309
Summer 509
Autumn 323
Winter 108
Deep Winter 16
years of stable population size at a
relatively high level of around 80
million. The Great Mortality
(nowadays called “The Black Death”)
caused a steep decline from 1350 AD
onwards, killing an estimated quarter
of all humans in Europe. Following
1420 AD there was a slow expansion
as Europe repopulated; this growth
gained momentum during the
sixteenth century. See figure 1.
Predicting the
Growth Rate of the
Order
A stage-structured mathematical
model was created to predict the size
of the Order of Hermes through time
and to predict future trends. The
details of this model are given later,
but in essence it uses a standard
technique from the ecological
sciences to model the passage of
individuals from Apprenticeship to
the Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter,
and finally Deep Winter Stages. At
each life stage, individuals will
produce new apprentices, and either
remain in the current stage, advance
to the next stage, or die. The three
events mentioned earlier – Formation
of Ex Miscellanea, Corruption of
Tytalus, and the Schism War – were
simulated at the appropriate time
points.
The advantage of this type of
predictive model is that, since it
models stages rather than ages, it
doesn’t rely on assumptions about
Predicted
(percent)
–
24.4
40.2
25.5
8.5
1.3
25
longevity rituals and living conditions
modifiers. These things can be highly
tribunal- and saga-dependent.
However, in this model, the age of
each magus is not simulated, just his
or her life stage. Each stage has a
given duration and the last stage of
Deep Winter holds all magi until they
die.
The model started with the
thirteen magi in 767 AD, and
predicted population numbers every
seven years. Sixty-five of these time
steps brought the Order of Hermes
to 1222 AD, and a final population
size of 1267 magi. The breakdown of
number of magi in each stage are
shown in the nearby table.
Note that the 360 Apprentices
were not included in the denominator
for the calculation of the percent
population in each stage, allowing
direct comparison with the survey
earlier. The predicted percentage of
the Order at each life stage from the
model matches pretty well with the
observed percentages obtained from
Figure 1: Total European population from the Dark Ages to the
Renaissance. Data from McEvedy & Jones (1978)
26
the Fifth Edition tribunal books,
after adjusting for presumed player
characters. The Order is still
dominated by Summer magi, with
Autumn and Spring magi following
behind with similar numbers. A
greater proportion of Deep Winter
magi is predicted than observed; but
this may reflect the tribunals
surveyed; for example, the Tribunal
of the Greater Alps could have a
greater proportion of ancient magi (it
certainly did in the Fourth Edition
book Sanctuary of Ice).
Implications for the
Order of Hermes
Since the outputs match in both
total population size and stage
distribution, we can have confidence
that the parameters and assumptions
of the modelling produce a plausible
representation of the Order’s
demography. On this basis, some
inferences about the Order can be
drawn based on the results of the
model. Some of these implications are
detailed in this section.
Population of House
Ex Miscellanea
According to the predictions of
the model, when House Ex
Miscellanea joined the Order, the
Order consisted of 109 magi. The
Ordo Miscellanea must have
therefore consisted of at least 100
wizards, since the size of the Order
was said to have doubled by the
joining of the thirteenth house. Yet,
despite a twelve-fold increase in the
size of Order over the next four
hundred years (109 magi in 816 AD
to 1267 magi in 1222 AD), House Ex
Miscellanea does not even double in
size in this time (100 magi to
approximately 180 magi). What’s
more, by the time the Schism War
happened, a mere two hundred years
after Pralix, rather than growing
House Ex Miscellanea had shrunk to
Sub Rosa
 the size of the other twelve houses —
between 60 and 70 members. It is
clear that House Ex Miscellanea did
not thrive in its early days within the
Order of Hermes.
One explanation for this is that
the vast majority of the new House
never adapted to Hermetic magic, and
did not train Hermetic apprentices.
This might be due to intractable
magical traditions, but it is also quite
likely that a fair proportion of Pralix’s
army of hedge wizards was unGifted,
and therefore could not train
Hermetic apprentices. Playing with
the model shows that if only a third
of the Ordo Miscellanea were Gifted
wizards in the Summer stage, then
these 33 new magi will have grown to
62 in the two centuries between the
founding of House Ex Miscellanea
and the Schism War.
Sub Rosa
Figure 2: Growth of the Order of Hermes since its inception to the current day. The axis in red on
the right and the red line on the chart indicate the mundane population during this time.
Casualties of the
Schism War
At the eve of the Schism War
there were 861 magi in the Order.
Under the assumptions detailed
above, 295 magi perished including all
72 members of House Diedne. For
simplicity, it is assumed that any
apprentices of slain magi (including
those from House Diedne) were
adopted by other members of the
Order of Hermes; still, the Order’s
size was reduced to the numbers seen
70 years previously.
Heterogeneity of the
Order across Mythic
Europe
Not all the tribunals have an equal
size or mundane population. From
the data in McEvedy & Jones (1978) I
determined the population of Mythic
Europe by approximate tribunal in
1220.
It is clear from the nearby table
that there is a huge difference
between population sizes in the 13
tribunals; but the assumption has
tended to be that the Order is
relatively evenly split, with just under
100 individuals per tribunal. There are
a number of reasons why magi might
seek to spread themselves out evenly
amongst the tribunals. For a start,
sparsely populated tribunals are likely
to be rich in magical resources since
the Dominion will not be so all-
encompassing. If a tribunal is small in
terms of magi, then the share of
resources — magical, mundane, and
political — per magus is large; this
encourages settlement in that tribunal,
which reduces the share per magus.
In the absence of constraining factors
(such as rules on establishing new
covenants or joining pre-existing
ones), this process would continue
27
Heterogeneity of the Order across Mythic Europe
Millions
Tribunal of people
in 1220
Greater Alps 1.3
Hibernia 0.6
Iberia 6.9
Levant 3.5
Loch Leglean 0.3
Normandy 6.8
Novgorod 11
until an equilibrium is reached; where
the benefits of a new tribunal are
rated equal to the benefits of a
resident tribunal. At this point
immigration matches emigration, and
is independent of resource availability.
If there is an assumption that The
Gift is homogeneously distributed in
space and that it is present in a
particular proportion of the
population (see later), then the supply
of apprentices is likely to be low in
some tribunals in comparison to
others because of the smaller
population sizes. This might explain
the social mobility of magi compared
to the mundane population — Sicilian
magi could easily be members of
covenants in Scotland, since the Loch
Leglean tribunal produces very small
numbers of Gifted children every year
compared to the Roman Tribunal.
Magi in sparsely populated tribunals
might source their apprentices away
from home; and those tribunals
where supply outstrips demand might
exploit this resource by exporting
Gifted children, perhaps in exchange
for services or resources rare at home.
For example, the Rhine tribunal is
rich in people (and therefore
presumably in Gifted children) but
not in vis. The Hibernian Tribunal
might be the reverse
28
Millions of
Tribunal
people in 1220
Provencal 5.8
Rhine 10.4
Rome 7.8
Stonehenge 2.8
Thebes 4.3
Transylvania 4.8
Supply of Apprentices
and Prevalence of The
Gift
An assumption of the model is
that there is an unlimited supply of
Gifted children to become
apprentices of Hermetic magi. Some
interesting conclusions emerge from
examining the required supply of
apprentices to the Order.
To support its current rate of
growth, the Order will require 186
Gifted children (approximately 14 per
geographical tribunal) over the next
seven years (this number can be
obtained from the cross product of
the current age profile of the Order
and the production rate of new
apprentices). With about 63.8 million
inhabitants in Mythic Europe in 1220,
the Order requires a density of The
Gift of at least one individual per
343,000. However, The Gift must be
more common than this if it is not a
limited resource; furthermore, there
are other traditions in Mythic Europe
that have Gifted members. Let us
assume that for every apprentice the
Order takes, there are three Gifted
children accepted into hedge
traditions, and another three that
remain untrained. This results in a
prevalence of The Gift of one
individual per 49,000 in every seven
years, or one birth per 7000 per year.
A potential problem lurks on the
horizon: the Order is growing faster
than the mundane population. In 850
AD there was one new Hermetic
apprentice for every 768,000, by 950
AD this ratio had decreased to
1:395,000, and by 1150 AD it was
1:353,000. If the prevalence of The
Gift remains constant, then there may
come a time when there are
insufficient Gifted children to fulfil
the needs of those magi wishing to
take an apprentice. Before this point
is reached, the number of magi able
to train an apprentice will decline as
the difficulty of finding a Gifted child
increases as they become more scarce.
The Order of Hermes may come into
conflict with hedge traditions over the
availability of apprentices, and/or the
average age at Opening the Hermetic
Arts might increase as masters are
more willing to take on Gifted
individuals who were missed as
children. As a result, the rate of
growth of the Order of Hermes may
gradually decrease over time to match
the availability of resources, a
phenomenon known as ‘density
dependent growth’.
Future Trends
Assuming that this density
dependent growth does not occur just
yet, we can forecast the future growth
of the Order of Hermes. After
another 100 years (14 more time
steps), the Order has 1787 members,
a growth of about 40%. The growth
of the Order of Hermes is only
sustainable if it is able to found new
covenants, develop the Arts required
to train apprentices, and locate
individuals with The Gift. Putting
aside the looming problem of locating
new apprentices mentioned above,
without sufficient resources for the
Sub Rosa
development of masters and the
training of apprentices, the Order’s
growth will slow. The mundane
population in Mythic Europe is
expanding almost as rapidly as the
Order, and is bound to be applying
societal and population pressure to
the Order. To support this level of
mundane population growth, larger
 and larger areas of Mythic Europe
have to be placed under cultivation,
and the fourteenth century is one of
mass deforestation. This could affect
the magical resources of covenants, as
Magic auras become more scarce and
vis harder to find. The Normandy
Tribunal is already facing these issues
in 1220 AD, and it may be only a few
decades before other tribunals start
feeling the pressure.
Assuming that your saga roughly
follows real history, there is the
spectre of the Great Mortality lurking
in the future (no-one in the medieval
period called it “The Black Death”).
Major casualties begin around 1360
AD, and it ravages nearly all of
Europe for fifty years. In affected
areas, up to a third of the population
is affected, and a quarter killed.
Assuming that the Great Mortality
is a natural disease, magi are more
likely to survive it thanks to their
Corpus Form bonus, if nothing else.
Sub Rosa
Figure 3: Future trends in the size of the Order of Hermes. As before, the red line
and axis shows the mundane population during this time.
However, recruitment to the Order
will take a major hit since Gifted
children die with the same frequency
as the unGifted. The chart below
shows the projected effect of the
Great Mortality on the Order’s
growth. The default assumption is
that magi were not immune to the
effects of the pestilence, but all stages
suffered increased mortality of an
intensity proportional to that suffered
by the mundane population (see later
for more details on the modelling).
That is, magi still died of the Great
Mortality, but at lower rates than the
mundane population. The dashed line
shows the effect on the Order’s
population if magi are wholly
protected from the increased
mortality of the disease, and instead
only suffer problems in finding
Gifted children to train as apprentices
for the duration of the Great
Mortality.
The ability of the Order of
Hermes to alter the course of the
plague as a whole is probably limited
as things stand, although individual
sagas may of course differ. The
biggest problem is organisation; it
would need a coordinated action of
multiple tribunals to have any chance
at halting the inexorable creep of the
Great Mortality across Europe, and
the Order is limited as to what
resources it can use. A covenant
might be able to save a few towns,
but in the grand scheme of things
their impact is likely to be minimal.
Historically, Europe recovered
well following the Great Mortality.
Once the disease had ran its course, a
phase of repopulation followed.
Population growth was slowed by
further waves of less virulent disease,
nevertheless it took only a century to
restore the losses due to the
pestilence.
29
Variables
Production Survival Proportion leaving Survival within Advancement to
Stage Age range
Rate rate stage stage next stage
Apprentice 5–20 0 0.93 Jul-15
Spring 21–35 0 0.97 Jul-15 Survival rate Survival rate
Summer 36–70 0.33 × 7/15 0.94 Jul-35 × ×
Autumn 71–120 0.66 × 7/15 0.85 Jul-50 (1 – Proportion Proportion leav-
Winter 121–180 0.20 × 7/15 0.76 Jul-60 leaving stage) ing stage
Deep Winter 181+ 0.10 × 7/15 0.45 0

which is multiplied by the vector of These proportions include those who

About the Model
The model was a stage-structured
population model called a Lefkovitch
matrix model. This model is
particularly appropriate in these
circumstances because it is simple,
with few parameter estimations
needed. It also works particularly well
for a population which is growing
unconstrained by resources, and
which has little spatial variation,
neither of which assumptions is
violated by the presumed
demography of the Order of Hermes.
A stage-structured model keeps
track of the number of individuals in
each of several pre-defined stages;
which in this case were Apprentices,
and then the five stages of a magus’s
life detailed above: Spring, Summer,
Autumn, Winter, and Deep Winter.
Each stage lasted a variable amount
of time; for simplicity’s sake it was
assumed that Apprentices were
twenty years old when they complete
their Gauntlet and become Spring
magi. The model charted the changes
in the numbers of individuals in each
of these classes in each time step,
based on three variables: the
populations in each stage to get the
new population.
Variables
Lefkovitch matrix models require
three sets of variables to make
predictions. The first is the
production rate, which is the number
of new individuals in the first stage in
each time step. The second is the
survival within stage, which is the
proportion of individuals in each
stage that remain within that stage in
each time step. The third variable set
is the advancement to next stage,
which is the proportion of individuals
that move to the next stage in each
time step.
Production Rate
The production rate is the
proportion of magi in each stage who
took a new apprentice in each seven
years. Obviously, apprentices are
incapable of training new apprentices,
and the definition of the Spring stage
was bas ed on them having
insufficiently high Arts and Teaching
Ability to effectively train an
have apprentices as well as those who
want them, so to convert these
proportions to a production rate, one
must restrict this proportion to only
those who are able to take on a new
apprentice in each seven year time
step. Seven fifteenths of all fifteen
year apprenticeships will end every
seven years. Apprentices are assumed
to be ‘born’ at the age of 5, and thus
the duration of apprenticeship is 15
years.
The proportion of magi in each
stage with an apprentice may appear
to be quite low. Even the assumption
that only two thirds of Autumn magi
have or want an apprentice might
caus e s ome s ur pr is e. T hes e
proportions were derived heuristically
— various proportions were tested
until a set that produced an
appropriate population size and age
structure for the Order was obtained.
The proportions in each stage is not
vital, as long as the same proportion
of apprentices per magus in the Order
is produced in each time step (so
there might be a few more Summer
magi with apprentices at the expense
of one of the other stages). For those
Sub Rosa

probability that an individual moves
into the next stage in a time step, the
probability that an individual dies in a
time step, and the probability that an
individual takes a new apprentice in a
time step. The time step chosen was
seven years; the time between
tribunals. These variables are
assembled into a transition matrix,
apprentice. Magi had to be in the
Summer stage or higher to have a non
-zero production rate. It was assumed
that one third of Summer and two
thirds of Autumn magi were capable
or willing to be train an apprentice.
This proportion declined to one fifth
and one tenth for the Winter and
Deep Winter stages respectively.
who believe that the benefit of an
apprentice is too great, and that any
magus capable of training one should
have one, should consider the
following:
 A magus loses a season of
study or laboratory activities
every year to teaching;
 It may be several years before

30
 the benefit to lab work shows;
apprentices may start with
penalties to Intelligence due to
their age (ArM5, page 29) and
will have mediocre Magic
Theory for much of the fifteen
years;
 Many magi, particularly older
ones, won’t be willing to put
up with successions of childish
behaviour, pre-pubescent
mood swings, and adolescent
infatuation.
Survival within Stage
To obtain survival rates it is
necessary to examine mortality rates
in medieval Europe.
Apprentice Mortality
Pre-adult mortality was high in
medieval Eur ope. As cadi &
Nemeskeri (1970). report that 20% of
children who had survived the first
year of their life (which itself had a
25% mortality) died before age 20.
This corresponds to an average of 50
deaths per thousand in a five year
period, or 69 deaths per thousand in a
seven year period. While it is true that
magi can lessen the risk of death by
disease and starvation for their
apprentices, the status of a Hermetic
apprentice is inherently more
dangerous than that of other children
in Mythic Europe. It is therefore
assumed that this mortality rate is
applicable to apprentices.
Magus Mortality
To get an idea about survival rates Magus Mortality
for magi, the survival for the nobility
in the Medieval period was examined
Sub Rosa
negates one decade of one’s age) it
was assumed that these five-year
mortality rates corresponded to an
entire stage. A Spring magus has the
mortality rate of a 30-year old peer, a
Summer magus is the same as a 35-
year old peer, an Autumn magus
equivalent to a 40-year old peer, a
Winter magus to a 50-year old peer,
and a Deep Winter magus to a 60-
year old peer.
Survival Rates
These raw mortality rates, for
apprentices and magi, are expressed
as deaths per 5 years. Since the time
step of the model is 7 years, the
mortality rates must be inflated by a
power of 7/5ths to account for the
difference, and converted into a
survival rate (rather than a mortality
rate) by subtracting from 1. Finally,
the survival rates must be multiplied
by the proportion of magi remaining
in the stage in each seven years to
obtain the survival within stage.
Advancement to Next
Stage
The final set of variables needed
for the Lefkovitch matrix model is
the proportion advancing to the next
stage in each 7 year time step. The
proportion moving to each stage is
equal to 7 divided by the stage
duration. However, this proportion
includes those magi who will die in
the stage rather than remain in the
stage, so this needs to be multiplied
Age of Deaths Deaths per 1000 Equivalent
by the survival rate calculated above.
Events
The model simulated the effects of
historical events of the Order of
Hermes. These events were not part
of the standard algorithm, but were
interjected at the appropriate points
in the simulation.
Initial Conditions
The initial condition of the model
has already been stated: 3 Spring magi
(Birna, Tremere, Trianoma), 7
Summer magi (Diedne, Flambeau,
Guernicus, Jerbiton, Mercere, Tytalus,
Verditius), and 3 Autumn magi
(Bonisagus, Criamon, Merinita)
Immigration
As well as internal recruitment (i.e.
the training of apprentices), there is
also recruitment from outside as the
Order adopts wizards trained in a
different tradition. In the early years
of the Order recruitment was
assumed to be high, since the “Join or
Die” indictment was rigidly followed.
An estimate of 14 new recruits per
seven year time step was used (an
average of 2 per year). In modern
times, recruitment was assumed to be
a much rarer event, about 1 Order-
wide per seven years. Between these
two extremes, a sigmoidal decline was
assumed centred about the troubled
times of the eleventh century. All
immigrants were presumed to be 70%
Spring and 30% Summer, on the

as a start point. Hollingsworth (1985) Peer per 1000 (7 year) magus age
published a life table for English 30 23 32 Spring
peers in 5 year intervals: 35 45 62 Summer
The survival rates of a magus 40 111 152 Autumn
should demonstrate a similar pattern 45 176 237
to nobility, except magic extends life 50 179 241 Winter
beyond a mortal span. In deference to 55 304 398
the Hermetic longevity ritual (where
every point of a longevity ritual 60 437 553 Deep Winter

31
understanding that younger wizards
will more readily adapt to Hermetic
magic; whereas old wizards, as well as
being less common, were less likely to
adapt to new ways. Immigrating magi
were added to the new population in
each time step, after which time they
are assumed to have assimilated into
the Order and are treated as any other
Hermetic magus.
House Ex Miscellanea
In time step 7 (corresponding to
816 AD), the size of the Order was
doubled.
The Purge of House
Tytalus
In time step 28 (963 AD), the
Order lost 7 Apprentices, 6 Spring
magi, 7 Summer magi, 4 Autumn
magi, and 1 Winter maga (Tasgillia
herself). These numbers have no basis
other than what seems reasonable; the
seven apprentices are those assumed
to be in training from the other magi.
32
The Schism War
In time step 35 (1012 AD), each
stage was reduced by 30.2%. This
corresponds to the loss of all of
House Diedne (one twelfth of the
Order), plus the loss of a third of two
houses (Tremere, Flambeau), a
quarter of four houses (Bonisagus, Ex
Miscellanea, Guernicus, Jerbiton), and
a fifth of the remaining six houses.
Each of the non-Diedne houses was
assumed to constitute an equal
proportion of the remaining eleven-
twelfths of the Order (once Diedne
had been removed).
The Great Mortality
Between time steps 84 and 92
(1355 -– 1411 AD), the production
rate was reduced to 75% of its
previous value to represent a 25%
mortality in the general population
(and thus fewer apprentices available
for training). Mortality rates for each
stage were recalculated based on an
increase of 25% in all deaths per
thousand.
This is an oversimplification of the
mechanism of the Great Mortality,
which did not affect all of Mythic
Europe at the same time, nor did it
affect it equally. However, it
represents a worst-case scenario with
respect to the impact of the Black
Death.
Sources of Data
Ascadi, G & Nemeskeri, J. (1970)
History of Human Life Span and
M or talit y. Ak adem ia i Kiado,
Budapest.
Hollingsworth, T.H. (1985) A note
on the medieval longevity of the
secular peerage 1350 -– 1500.
Population Studies 29 (1) 155 – 159
McEvedy, C. and Jones, R. (1978).
Atlas of World Population History.
Penguin, Harmondsworth.
Sub Rosa
 Appendix: Population Size of the Order of Hermes over Time

Year Size Year Size Year Size Year Size

767 13 998 740 1229 1300 1460 1923
774 26 1005 764 1236 1332 1467 1967
781 40 1012 558 1243 1365 1474 2016
788 53 1019 579 1250 1399 1481 2065
795 65 1026 599 1257 1433 1488 2115
802 78 1033 619 1264 1470 1495 2168
809 92 1040 640 1271 1506 1502 2221
816 200 1047 660 1278 1544 1509 2275
823 214 1054 678 1285 1581 1516 2331
830 229 1061 700 1292 1622 1523 2389
837 247 1068 720 1299 1661 1530 2448
844 264 1075 741 1306 1703 1537 2509
851 282 1082 761 1313 1744 1544 2569
858 303 1089 784 1320 1787 1551 2633
865 322 1096 804 1327 1833 1558 2699
872 341 1103 825 1334 1876 1565 2765
879 362 1110 848 1341 1924 1572 2832
886 383 1117 870 1348 1971 1579 2901
893 403 1124 892 1355 1967 1586 2972
900 424 1131 916 1362 1940 1593 3046
907 446 1138 940 1369 1901 1600 3121
914 468 1145 964 1376 1860 1607 3197
921 491 1152 989 1383 1819 1614 3276
928 515 1159 1013 1390 1778 1621 3355
935 538 1166 1038 1397 1737 1628 3437
942 561 1173 1066 1404 1700 1635 3523
949 585 1180 1093 1411 1663
956 609 1187 1120 1418 1671
963 616 1194 1148 1425 1701
970 639 1201 1177 1432 1741
977 663 1208 1207 1439 1785
984 689 1215 1238 1446 1831
Sub Rosa

991 713 1222 1267 1453 1876

33
 From the Journal of
Vulcanis Argens
B eing the journal of
Vulcanis Argens of House
Verditius, discovered during the
have been a wonder to behold and a
joy to enchant.
itself must allow the same. Then there
is the matter of operating through not
just one but potentially two Aegis of
There are a number of ways in
Vernal Inquisition after the fall of which this could be done, of course, the Hearth rituals. The thought of my
Donum Chanuti. Let its secrets from physically moving the pieces, to device being seen as so weak that it
inform the Order: enchanting a mundane seated at the must be granted a casting token in
table, to creating the illusion of the each of the two rituals cannot be
chessboard and all the pieces in its countenanced. I confess to a moment
Extract from the journal of of despondency.
Vulcanis Argens: entirety.
But the cost of any of these Then the thought occurred. What
I have experienced an epiphany. if I could make a device that could
Golias of Tytalus, magus of options would be too high. The time
to enchant such a device would be learn? The device could, and almost
Blackthorn, player of chess, healed naturally would, start with no prior
me of my wounds. Though I could do long and with little future benefit to
myself beyond the possible gratitude knowledge of the game, its pieces,
little to help him in his ritual, we did rules, objectives, or strategies, but
pick up a discussion started, as I of one magus in one covenant. There
would still be difficulties in using the would learn through exposure to the
reminded him, seven years ago at the games of a master. As it learned, it
last tribunal. device with a player sitting some way
distant. Either the players would need would pose an increasing challenge to
Golias has trouble finding chess some means of communication cast that master.
opponents as those in his covenant alongside their game, or the device Enchanting a device to move
seem to take little interest in the
game. Those few opponents he does
know live some way distant, too far
for a regular game. He has been
reduced to playing against visiting
Redcaps, the few mundanes of rank
who visit Blackthorn, and even an
erratic familiar with pretensions
above its station.
I consider that I can solve his
problem, given a little time and the
required resources. However, while I
now have a plan to work to, I did take
the wrong path at first.
I had initially proposed a device
that would allow him to play against a
Sub Rosa

given opponent many leagues distant.

But the only way I could imagine the
device working was through
sympathetic connections. In essence
the boards or some part of the device
would be linked to another identical
item. As the chess pieces were
moved, so the movement would be
replicated on the other board. It was a
sound prospect and the device would

34
 pieces around a board is child’s play;
an apprentice could do it within a
season. But for the device to hold and
use tactics, a strategy even? How
could it be done?
Unfortunately, I know of no
secrets held by my House that would
allow such a thing, indeed, all my
knowledge suggests that many have
tried and failed such a thing. The
automata, one of our most valued
secrets, are limited constructions
more suited to the expression of
hubris than to the creation of a
reasoning entity.
But what if I could succeed where
others have failed?
There are some within Verditius
and beyond that could bind spirits
into devices. I could learn from them
and bind a spirit into a form made to
look human but moved by magic
under the spirit’s guide. The device
would have some capacity to learn,
though not much as I understand,
and would be able to respond
instantly to its opponent’s moves as
required.
Sub Rosa
I am not comfortable with that on
both moral and professional grounds
as well as for self-preservation
reasons. Such a course seems cruel to
the spirit, entirely at odds with my
craft, and likely to bring heavy
retributions when whatever tortured
spirit I bind into the device eventually
works its way free. I cannot guarantee
that the spirit will turn its attentions
to the game and not to escape or
vengeance. I should not like to read
of Golias being murdered in his sleep
by his own chess set. Such news
would surely be detrimental to my
reputation and to the prospect of
future commission.
No! I have to find a way to give a
device its own cognition. The device
must, in itself, have awareness of
itself, its boundaries and its function.
It must possess the power of thought
so that it can conceive strategies and
see them through, and it must have,
at its core, the ability to learn. It must
have the capacity for improvement.
How else will it pose the unexpected
challenge that Golias so desires? And
how else will I create a device to
confound my house and secure my
reputation?
My mind whirls with the prospect,
but I find myself with so many things
to attend to that I must fight now to
remain focussed.
There is first the commission I
need to enchant, that great burrowing
beast able to dig lengthy tunnels
underground. My success in that will
fund my future work. For this I need
some knowledge of carpentry as the
device is to be made of wood and
while I can shape iron and make steel,
the last time I took chisel to plank I
near skinned my thumb.
I have also promised a suit of
armour of some kind to Benedic in
return for his support. It was for
support already given, but I secured
that with the promise of the armour. I
intend to secure his vote and support
again when I actually deliver it. I have
not yet told him that I first need to
learn both the art of making armour
and the Verditius art of bringing out
its inner quality.
This I feel I must do before
learning carpentry. I must set my
plans and keep to them. So, I must
first study with Junius. He will teach
me the last I need to know of the
House secrets and then teach me how
to bring out the inner natural quality
of items. That, I think is the next two
seasons fully described. Then it is to
armoury and then it is to the armour
itself, and then it is to bringing out its
quality.
This time next year I shall seek out
the covenant’s master carpenter. I
shall study under him for a season.
Then I shall construct the Beast that
Dwells Within the Firmament.
But after that, plans must be put
in place. What knowledge has been
lost and what is yet to be found?
More importantly, where might I find
it?
35
 Extract from the journal of
Vulcanis Argens:
The tribunal has concluded. Few
were upset that Cad Gadu had not
attended and most seemed satisfied at
our explanation, though I think there
were raised eyebrows at the mention
of the heirs to Gwrhyr having claimed
the island.
I detected a murmur of respect
when my efforts were described.
Though I seek renown within my
House, as a master of my art, I do not
think I am comfortable with so many
others knowing my name, at least not
when it comes to adventurous
matters. However, I hope at least that
it might aid my efforts to be
commissioned in future.
Extract from the journal of
Vulcanis Argens:
I have returned at last from
studying under Master Junius. It has
been some months since I last saw
my journal and I greet it now as a
changed man.
36
I mean that literally. My magic has
been recommitted to the mysteries of
House Verditius and it is only now
that I appreciate just how limiting
Bonisagus’ grand theory of magic has
been. There is so much more beyond
mere Technique and Form, wonders
and knowledge that the Order has
lost. Simple spells now feel so limiting
and if the knowledge I have gained
through just this first initiation into
the mysteries of my House may be
used as a marker then what power
and capabilities lie beyond?
The power to bring out the
inherent quality of a tool, as all things
are, from weapon to hammer to
plough to cloak to crown, to make
the wielder of that tool more
proficient in their tasks, is a wondrous
thing indeed. With just a season of
effort, I can make a shield grog excel
in his duties, take a craftsman from
journeyman to master, or turn a
prince into a king.
However, these lofty ambitions
have been hard-won. I have spent
many weeks learning lore about the
founding of my House and master
Verditius’ powers from before the
Order. There is no doubt that what
Junius told me is true and while I
cannot commit his words to this
journal it is enough to say that I have
gained further respect and love for
my House and its founder.
I spent a further season in creating
a minor enchantment. It was a small
silver balance, similar in form to one I
use for most projects within my
laboratory. It was enchanted with a
simple effect to allow the user to
sense all the mundane properties of
an object placed upon one plate and
then counterbalanced by a set of lead
weights. I created a mundane partner
to this balance, casting both from the
same batch of silver.
Junius oversaw, though did not
participate in the enchantment
process.
I had not expected it, but we then
journeyed to Verdi where we were
apparently expected. While the ritual
there, which resulted in the loss of
both the balances I had created, will
not be described here, I will say that it
was a day of great solemnity. The
next day however was given over to a
celebration and I even had the
opportunity to become reacquainted
with old friends I had met during my
years away from Donum Chanuti.
House Verditius wrongly has a
reputation for in-fighting, petty
squabbles, jealousy, and unrestrained
pride. I saw none of these things
during my time at Verdi. My
ascension was rightly welcomed as a
blessing to the House and not a
threat. No doubt word of my heroism
at Cad Gadu had reached them.
I did however detect some
Sub Rosa
consternation among the elders of the
House, though I was not privy to the
nature of the discussions.
On my return to Donum Chanuti,
I have found that Halbert has
maintained my forge and laboratory
well enough in my absence. I have
had to give him correction on only
four items.
 Extract from the journal of
Vulcanis Argens:
The talk around the covenant is
that Valeria is intent on finding an
apprentice. My feelings on this are
conflicted. I find myself unexpectedly
jealous of her in that neither my Arts
nor my attention is currently suitable
for the raising of an apprentice. It is
my duty to do so and I shall learn and
gain much from the experience, but
my work keeps me occupied to the
point that I cannot yet conceive of
taking a child into my confidences
and my forge.
Also unexpectedly, I find that I
wish her well in her search. For
Donum Chanuti to survive it must
embrace the future. For all their
power and insight, neither Charonicus
nor Legalitus are forward-thinking.
Their bitter dispute serves only to
undermine the covenant, something I
shall avoid when I am Princeps. A
new apprentice in the covenant
would, I think, be a cause for
celebration. Now, if I could convince change. He spends far too much time
a Bonisagus to take the apprentice alone in the woodland upon our
before gauntlet we can avoid swelling Extract from the journal of
island, alone with nobody but his dog Vulcanis Argens:
the ranks of House Guernicus and whatever spirits he can conjure
further. forth from those woods. Benedic’s armour is finished at last
We had a visit from the redcap and I am pleased with the outcome. It
It seems a little insular to me and I is of a stout leather construction, but
this last week, which prompted do wonder upon what topics he and
Halbert to recall events that had that leather is scored with a pattern of
his spirits converse. leaves, trees, and vines, and the
happened during the seasons of my
absence. My forge is well-placed that pattern filled with silver which shines
a man taking a well-earned break Extract from the journal of brightly in the presence of light.
from the working of metal may sit Vulcanis Argens: By the Mysteries of my House, the
outside and observe southwards to I have spent the season since last armour is as strong as steel and will
the tower and northwards to the end attending to my journal working in a give Benedic the protection he craves.
of the village and to the jetty upon series of mundane workshops in both I have convinced Benedic that our
which the ferryman hitches his punt. Rye and Winchelsea under two master former deal still stands and that his
Halber t innocent ly obs er ved craftsmen. The first was to gain an support is mine when the time comes,
Bellatorius handing the redcap a understanding of leatherworking, but and I think that time draws very close
number of sealed letters, apparently in
Sub Rosa

the body of learning was from a indeed.

a secret and furtive manner.
Bellatorius has not disclosed being
in communication with any other
magi beyond the covenant. Indeed
despite my observing the same
phenomenon this last week he made
no attempt to explain his actions.
With Benedic there seems little
Winchelsea armourer who taught me
enough to create a competent leather
cuirass for Benedic.
Though I am more used to
working with iron and steel, I should
not like the job of making mail by
hand. I think I should rather create a
spell to achieve the same in future.
I also took the time to make
myself a new chisel in preparation for
the carpentry that I have in front of
me. Perhaps, in making and
sharpening my own it will be less
inclined to turn against its master and
attempt the removal of my thumb.

37
 An Eternal Love
T his scenario is not a typical
Ars Magica story, a game
that reaches its full potential when
campaigning. It has indeed been
specifically designed for a one-shot
game, in convention and/or for
initiation. Initially published in the
French fanzine Ars Mag sometime
last millennium, when the current
edition of Ars Magica was the third,
it is available for the first time in
English, and for ArM5!
Introduction
The theme of this story is revenge.
Characters are confronted with the
way revenge obsesses men to their
demise, never allowing them any rest,
even when that revenge has been
satisfied.
Carel of Miglos is burning with
hatred for his brother the baron, who
sent him to crusade more than fifteen
years ago. He only dreams on taking
revenge from him and usurping his
title in retaliation. Herios, the hedge
magician, bears a grudge against the
Presentation
(to read to the players)
“You are all members of the Covenant
of Bentalone, located in the Provencal
Tribunal. On this beautiful spring day in
the year of our Lord 1215, you have been
traveling for three days through the
County of Foix, heading to Tarascon-sur-
Ariège’s fair, which is held again this
year, despite much agitation in the area
(the Albigensian crusade rages and
Raymond-Roger, Earl of Foix, fights it
fervently). Your mission is to provide the
Covenant with food and various supplies,
whose stores are dangerously low. The fair
38
magi of Hermes who formerly
mocked him, humiliated him,
doubted of his sorcerous skills before
refusing to admit him into their
Order. Évrard d’Ange himself might
succumb to wrath and seek to avenge
the death of his beloved, while other
characters retaliate on the mercenaries
who mistreated them…
Act I: Tarascon’s
fair
Tarascon’s fair, if not the most
important in the area, still attracts a
lot of traders from the whole county
and beyond. Quinault, the covenant’s
autocrat, can find here anything the
Covenant needs: food, cattle, drapery
and even glassware that can be used
in a maga’s lab. During this first day,
let the characters explore merchant
stalls, muse in the motley crowd
(barkers, beggars, acrobats…)
throughout the city. If you wish so,
roleplay Quinault’s shopping, keen
negotiations, etc.
is also an opportunity for easing off,
especially for Évrard d’Ange, who has
been singing the beauty of his beloved
Diane of Miglos ever since you left
Bentalone.
“You reached Tarascon-sur-Ariège late
last night. There, a whole room was
booked for you at the Three Ducks Inn.
At dawn, the small city is already
humming with activity. You can bet it will
become quiet again only when the fair
ends, in three days from now on.”
By Jérôme Darmont
Diane’s message
Évrard, my love. We have been apart
for too long. I am burning with the desire
to meet you again. My father will be
away from Miglos tonight. Some pressing
matter calls him at the earl’s and he will
only be back tomorrow. Come and meet
me in my bedroom in the keep after dusk.
I am yours for eternity.
Diane.
In the early afternoon, the Baron
of Miglos shows up at the fair. He is a
barrel-chested man with a reputation
for being hot-headed. He generally
displays a fierce air and his disheveled
beard does not make him more
agreeable. In this occasion, the baron
is accompanied by all his family,
including his daughter Diane and his
brother Carel. This is a great
opportunity for the Storyguide to
describe all the protagonists of this
story, and for Évrard to approach
Diane of Miglos at last! However, skill
and subtlety are required not to alert
her irascible father. Moreover, Diane
is surrounded by her mother’s
companions. A simple diversion can
nonetheless help the young lady give
Évrard a message…
Note: Characters are very free
during this first day. The Storyguide
Sub Rosa
will have a difficult task not to favor
anybody by focusing, for instance,
only on the most important
characters, i.e., magi. So that
everybody has fun, other characters,
and particularly grogs, must have their
share of exposure. Good roleplaying
opportunities include, for instance, a
minor dispute with young, drunk
 people on the fair field, or Éthaine
the apprentice witnessing a beggar kid
being bullied by two bigger boys, etc.
Act II: Romantic
Rendezvous
In the evening, Évrard d’Ange
must go to Miglos to meet his belle.
He probably takes with him a couple
of companions, who can undoubtedly
be of great help. It is indeed not so
easy, even for a magus, to sneak into
a well-guarded fortress. Any help
(magical, diversion…) is welcome.
Map key:
1) Keep. On the first floor, an
entrance hall can become an
arms room in case of siege.
Food supplies are piled up in
Sub Rosa
the cellar below. The castle’s
great hall lies on the second
floor. The baron’s knights usu-
ally sleep here. The third floor is
used exclusively by the baron’s
family. It is subdivided into a
half-dozen bedrooms (Diane’s
is on the east side, fortunately
for Évrard). At the crenelated
The Storyguide must nonetheless
ensure that Évrard can eventually
meet Diane. Miglos castle is about
three miles south of Tarascon-sur-
Ariège, ideally located at the top of a
hill dominating the surrounding
valley.
While Évrard d’Ange sneaks into
Diane of Miglos’ bedroom and lovers
savor their reunion, the characters
who came along may notice
(Perception + Awareness roll of 6+)
that the soldiers defending the castle
are quite few. Visiting the stables
helps confirm that a fair number of
steeds are missing. By cleverly spying
top of the tower sits a wooden 6)
hut where guards shelter when 7)
the weather is bad. There are
always two guards here, scruti-
8)
nizing the surrounding valley.
2) Press.
3) Oven and mill.
4) North turret. This small round 10)
tower, crenellated and thickly
walled, is actually a wheat silo.
11)
5) Ramparts. They are equipped all- 12)
along with crenels and a covered
way. Rounds occur every hour.
on the remaining guards, the
characters may realize that all the
baron’s knights, as well as most of the
foot soldiers, are on duty at the Earl
of Foix’. Some are worried about the
castle’s security, for bands of
mercenaries from all over Mythic
Europe have recently arrived in the
area to give the crusaders a hand. The
characters also probably notice Carel
of Miglos and his friend Herios
coming and going. More particularly,
they can be seen walking on the
northern rampart twice this night.
Two hours after midnight, stupor!
The baron is back earlier than
Chapel.
Commons (kitchen, servants’
quarters, etc.)
Courtyard. In clay (i.e., a mud field
when the weather is wet), it bears a
well in its center.
9) Stables.
Postern. Two square towers frame
the drawbridge and portcullis.
Guards’ quarters.
Moat. It is ten feet deep and partly
filled with water when it rains.
39
expected! He and his entourage look
exhausted and get in the fortress
without a din, so that Évrard and
Diane cannot hear them (remember
that Diane’s windows open to the
outside of the castle, to the east).
Their friends may attempt to warn the
lovers, but it is already too late… A
couple of minutes after entering the
keep, the baron errupts into Diane’s
bedroom. Mad with rage, he brutally
catches Évrard d’Ange and throws
him out manu militari. The baron
being a strong fellow, we can bet that
Évrard cannot resist much. To
reassure the young magus, the
Storyguide should mention that the
baron does not draw his sword.
Évrard ends up wearing only his shirt,
and is ruthlessly thrown into the moat
from the drawbridge (damage +3).
The baron, who had not spoken at all
until then, leaves him with a laconic
warning: “Don’t you ever lay your
hands on my daughter, bastard!”
Note: If Évrard wonders how the
baron could come upon him,
although he was quite discreet, let him
wonder. In fact, Herios, Carel of
Miglos’ advisor, felt his presence with
his magic (Intellego Mentem) and, by
sheer wickedness (Diane of Miglos
does not like him very much),
“incited” the baron to check whether
his daughter was sleeping alone. The
tired baron easily succumbed to the
hedge magician’s spell.
Meanwhile, at the Three Ducks
German Mercenary
Characteristics: Int -1, Per +1, Prs 0, Com -1, Str +1,
Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik +1
Size: 0
Age: about 20
Personality Traits: Bold +1, Greedy +3, Rude +2
Reputation: Lawless (Local, Tarascon-sur-Ariège) 2
Combat:
Fist: Init -2, Atk +5, Def +4, Dam+1
Long Spear: Init +1, Atk +9, Def +6, Dam +8
Short Bow: Init -3, Atk +8, Def +4, Dam +7
Soak: +5 (Partial Leather Scale)
40
Inn (let us not forget the other
characters who might have stayed
here), a party goes on. The
atmosphere is friendly and drinking
rounds succeed to one another, while
a troubadour pleases his audience
with songs and tales. Then, around
ten o’clock, a whole troop of German
mercenaries (half a dozen overall)
comes into the inn. They are
apparently already quite drunk, and
very vindictive. They verbally attack
anyone coming too close to the bar,
before provoking the bard, who sings
sissy songs to their taste. They are so
unbearable that a fight soon breaks
off in the inn (maybe caused by the
characters). Damages should only be
material (at the innkeeper’s great
distress; he desperately tries to save
his endangered furniture), or benign
for the characters, unless one of them
draws a weapon, in which case the
mercenaries do the same. In all cases,
the party is spoiled and everybody
goes back home, more or less
sickened, while the mercenaries leave
the place laughing out loud, delighted
by this “good fight”.
Act III: A Rough
Awakening
Late at night, all characters
probably join together at the Three
Ducks for a few hours of sleep. At
about half-past four in the morning,
Évrard d’Ange has a disturbing
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Inca-
pacitated (16-20)
Core Abilities: German 4, Langue d’Oc 2, Brawl 3,
Great Weapon 4, Bows 3, Carouse (Drinking) 1
Encumbrance: 3 (7)
dream. The Storyguide may describe
it only to Évrard’s player. Diane of
Miglos, or rather her image, for she
looks translucent, appears to Évrard.
She bends over his bed and speaks.
Her voice is strange, toneless. She
tells Évrard she loves him, always will,
and never wanted to leave him. Her
gaze is full of sadness. Évrard wakes
up sweating at this point, and realizes
Diane still stands in his room. As
soon as he tries to talk to her or come
closer, her image vanishes, leaving the
young magus distraught and unable to
fall asleep again.
The other characters only rest for
a couple of hours too, for they are
also waken up at dawn by dull noises
and shouts (long-term fatigue, if any,
is not recovered). If they have a
glance by the window, they realize
that the inn is literally assaulted by a
troop of a dozen men (yesterday’s
German mercenaries, with
reinforcement!). If the characters can
hear their conversation with the
terrified innkeeper (Perception +
Awareness roll of 9+; words are
stifled), they realize they are searched
for. And certainly not for good deeds!
The characters must react swiftly
to be able to run away, but a little
magic should help. Then, the
mercenaries chase them mercilessly;
they have been paid very generously
to catch Évrard d’Ange. The
characters may also decide to surprise
the assailants and confront them on
Sub Rosa
 Map Key: forbidden by the Code of Hermes the woods must be found);
anyway). The brawl may also end up
1) Dining Room  Seek shelter in a church (a
with Évrard’s capture if the characters
2) Stable solution that would greatly
do not manage very well. Other
displease Martin, and that
3) Innkeeper and wife’s bedroom characters but Évrard, whom the
would be temporary anyway
mercenaries are not interested in, for the mercenaries would
4) Kitchen
must then free him, for instance when simply “besiege” the holy
5) Hall (where poor customers he is transferred to Miglos.
sleep) building – unless the characters
If the characters can run away find a way to leave under
6) Individual Bedrooms from the inn and the town, they must disguise);
7) Dorm still find a way to get rid of the tough
 Run back to Bentalone to
8) Characters’ Dorm mercenaries. They have several
request the protection of the
solutions, including the following
Grand Council, which
(non-exhaustive list):
dispatches grogs to take care of
the spot. With luck, they might well  Ambush them on favorable the mercenaries, but orders the
get rid of them, but this fight might terrain; characters to sort this all out,
also make them unwanted in  Penetrate into a forest and try and without attracting outside
Tarascon (especially if they make use to lose the Germans (a mean attention to the Covenant, this
of blatant magic, which is formally of taking a panicked Éthaine in time!

Horst, Mercenary Captain Pole Axe: Init -3, Atk +14, Def +5, Dam +13
Characteristics: Int 0, Per +1, Prs 0, Com -2, Str +2, Soak: +10 (Full Metal Scale)
Sta +3, Dex +2, Qik -2 Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Size: +1 Wound Penalties: -1 (1-6), -3 (7-12), -5 (13-18), Inca-
Age: 30 pacitated (19-24)
Sub Rosa

Confidence Score: 1 (3) Core Abilities: German 4, Langue d’Oc 3, Fist 3, Great
Weapon 7, Hunt 3, Ride 3, Leadership 3
Personality Traits: Brave +2, Ambitious +1, Greedy
+2, Harsh +1 Encumbrance: 2 (9)
Reputation: Cruel (Local, Tarascon-sur-Ariège) 2
Combat:
Fist: Init -4, Atk +5, Def +1, Dam +2

41

If the characters manage to
capture a mercenary, they can learn
some pieces of information. The
Germans have been hired by the
Baron of Miglos to bring Évrard
d’Ange back to the castle. The baron
indeed holds him responsible for the
death of his daughter Diane, who
threw herself down from a tower.
That’s all the mercenaries know.
Some Explanations
for the Storyguide
Diane of Miglos is really dead. Her
ghost actually paid a visit to Évrard
this morning. After her father threw
her lover out of Miglos, the young
lady was furious. Locked in her room,
her door watched by two guards, she
was steaming against so much
injustice. She decided to talk to her
father to convince him to accept her
love for Évrard. Knowing he was
busy by the stable despite the late
hour, she fooled her guardians and
took the north covered way. That is
where she interrupted her uncle Carel
discussing with Horst, the mercenary
captain, who was down the walls. She
quickly understood they were plotting
an attack against the castle, taking
advantage of the small number of
defenders available. Horrified, she
was about to walk back when Herios
stood in the way. She had just been
the witness of a very embarrassing
transaction. Thus, Carel and Herios
coldly decided to throw her down the
north turret… This was meant to
look like a suicide. It was half-past
four in the morning.
Carel of Miglos and his brother
stronger party (the crusaders) to save
his fief. Yes, his fief! He never
forgave his brother for sending him
on crusade (in the Orient, this time)
fifteen years ago. He came back
wounded, both in his flesh and soul,
with the firm will to take revenge and
usurp his brother’s title (he thinks he
deserves it more than him, anyway).
On the way back from the Orient, in
Greece, he met his henchman Herios.
Herios, considered as a hedge
magician, was chased by members of
the Order of Hermes from the
Theban Tribunal. He took the
opportunity to fly away with Carel,
seduced by his promises of power in
the distant land of Languedoc…
For now, Carel of Miglos’ plans
are gravely jeopardized. The baron
indeed entered a mad rage when he
learnt of his daughter’s demise
(Herios did not even need to “help”
him with his sorcery). The problem is
that, dismissing his principles, the
bar on hir ed Hors t and his
mercenaries at a high price to bring
Évrard d’Ange back to Miglos (he
needs his own soldiers to defend the
place). Since the bounty offered by
the baron was much bigger than
anything the moneyless Carel of
Miglos could pay, Horst opted for
short-term profit, especially since it
looked a priori much easier to capture
Évrard d’Ange than seizing the
fortress of Miglos!
Act IV: Return to
Miglos
At this stage, the characters must
go back to Miglos and investigate.
Some of them are probably not
willing to. If necessary, push Évrard’s
player to convince them. If Évrard
himself is discouraged, have Diane’s
ghost intervene to beg him to come
to Miglos. Then, the characters must
imagine a cover to enter the castle.
For instance, they may stand as
entertainers, who are generally
welcome everywhere, even
(especially?) in these troubled times.
Évrard must nonetheless shift his
Sub Rosa

the baron have quite different ideas

about politics. Although both agree
on preserving their domain from the
crusade, their opinions about how to
do it vary widely. The baron, as his
overlord the Earl of Foix, considers
Cathars benevolently and considers
crusaders as invaders, while Carel
would prefer to compound with the

42
 should make the characters think
twice. Why did Diane of Miglos
throw herself from the north turret
instead of her room’s window? What
was her uncle doing in the area right
in the middle of the night?
Diane of Miglos’ body lies in the
chapel. Since she committed suicide,
Father Valeray, by order of the
bishop, refuses to give her Christian
sacraments (thence, her ghost still
wanders this earth). This put the
baron into rage, but he could not deal
with the issue, being summoned to
Foix again for an emergency. It is
probably the sole opportunity for
Évrard to use his Whispers Through
the Black Gate spell and discover
how his beloved died. It should also
strengthen Évrard’s will to unmask
Diane’s murderers so as she rests in
peace.
Quinault the autocrat may have a
vision of the murder if he walks on
the north rampart. Then, he falls into
a trance and “witnesses” the terrible
end of Diane of Miglos.
All these clues should lead the
characters to take interest in Carel of
Miglos and Herios. Skilfully spying
their conversations or a possible new
appearance not to be recognized. By questioning castle guards or meeting with Horst shall eventually
servants, the characters may learn that confirm the characters’ suspicion. But
Once inside the fortress, the
Diane of Miglos threw herself from beware! Herios might detect spies
characters must uncover the
the north turret. Carel of Miglos, the magically (Intellego Mentem). If he
circumstances of Diane of Miglos’
baron’s brother, heard her shout and has the slightest suspicion, Carel of
death. Here are a couple of possible
arrived first on the spot. Something Miglos and he will first try to
leads.

Carel of Miglos Soak: +8 (Partial Chain Mail)

Characteristics: Int +1, Per -1, Prs -1, Com +1, Str +1, Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Sta +2, Dex +2, Qik 0 Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Inca-
Size: 0 pacitated (16-20)
Age: 35 Core Abilities: Langue d’Oc 4, Arabic 3, Single Weapon
Sub Rosa

7, Bows 4, Ride 4, Intrigue 4

Confidence Score: 1 (2)
Encumbrance: 3 (7)
Personality Traits: Bitter +5, Vengeful +6, Treacherous
+4, Scornful +2
Reputation: Bitter (Local, Miglos) 1
Combat:
Long Sword & Shield: Init -1, Atk +13, Def +11, Dam +7
Short Bow: Init -4, Atk +9, Def +4, Dam +7

43
incriminate the characters in the
murder, and then, if they fail, try to
eliminate them, and eventually, run
away.
When the baron is back two days
later, a good way to bring the light on
the whole story and convict Carel is
to find Horst and convince him to tell
what he knows. Paying him well will
definitely work, but threatening him
might also do the job. However,
accusing the baron’s brother without
proof is a very bad idea…
If the characters are really lost and
cannot understand what happened,
have Diane of Miglos’ ghost guide
them. For instance, she can push
them toward her uncle or Herios. If
Herios realizes what the characters
are doing at this stage, he will
probably decide to use Diane’s ghost
against the characters. He can indeed
control her with the help of the
Incantation of Summoning the Dead
and Coerce the Spirits of the Night
spells, and make her decoy the
characters toward the German
mercenaries.
Act V: Untying
If everything goes well, the
characters should have restored the
truth regarding Diane of Miglos’
death when the baron returns. Even if
Carel of Miglos escaped, he is now in
disgrace, while Évrard d’Ange, by
allowing Diane’s Christian burying,
instates in the baron a new esteem for
him. The whole troupe is invited by
the baron to stay a couple of days in
Miglos.
There is still an issue remaining,
though. Even after Diane of Miglos’
burying, her ghost keeps haunting
Évrard every night at half-past four in
the morning. The lady’s soul cannot
depart for Diane cannot bear leaving
her great love. Only Évrard can
appease her and allow her to rest in
peace, at last. He knows a spell for
this sake (Lay to Rest the Haunting
Spirit) and it should be easy (the Spirit
Might of Diane’s ghost is 10). As the
Storyguide, try to bring a lot of
emotion into this end scene and make
it as moving as possible.
Assessing player
success
The following points help evaluate
the degree of player accomplishment
in this story (but not roleplaying feats,
though) in a convention context.
They are enumerated in order of
importance.
1) The circumstances of Diane of
Miglos have been uncovered.
2) Carel of Miglos has been
delivered to his brother.
3) Herios the hedge magician has
been put out of harm’s way.
4) Diane of Miglos’ soul has been
appeased.
5) Magi did not infringe the Code
of Hermes and, notably, did
not make flagrant usage of
magic among mortals.
6) The covenant of Bentalone has
been, despite all these events,
correctly resupplied.
7) The German mercenary troop
headed by Horst has been
disbanded.

Herios the Hedge Magician tated (13-16)

Characteristics: Int +3, Per +2, Prs -3, Com +1, Str -1, Core Abilities: Greek 4, Arabic 4, Langue d’Oc 3, Folk
Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik 0 Ken 2, Brawl (Defense) 6, Entrancement 5, Philosophiae 3,
Magic Lore 3, Order of Hermes Lore 1, Penetration
Size: -1
(Entrancement) 5
Age: apparently 40
Powers: Magic Resistance 20, Equivalent of the 5 Tech-
Confidence Score: 1 (3) niques 0, Equivalent of Mentem 20, Mentem spells up to
Personality Traits: Deceitful +3, Brave -3, Unctuous Level 25 (inevitably casted by chanting a heady recitative**)
+2, Mischievous +2 * The blade is covered with poison. Any wounded char-
acter must roll a 9+ Stamina stress die every round. In case
Sub Rosa

Reputations: Weird (Local, Miglos) 1, Hedge magus

(Hermetic, Tribunal of Thebes) 3
Combat:
Fist: Init +2, Atk +7, Def +7, Dam -1
Dagger: Init +2, Atk +9, Def +7, Dam +2*
Soak: +3 (Partial Fur)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapaci-
of failure, the victim loses one fatigue level. When all fa-
tigue levels are lost, more and more serious wounds are
suffered. One single successful Stamina roll stops the ef-
fects of poison. A botch directly renders the victim inca-
pacitated.
** Which lowers Évrard d’Ange’s Parma Magica.
Encumbrance: 2 (2)

44
 Évrard d’Ange, Magus of House Jerbiton Disguise of the New Visage (MuCo 15) +19: modifies
the target’s appearance (p. 131)
Characteristics: Intelligence (Quick-witted) +3, Per-
ception (Carefree) -2, Presence (Handsome) +2, Commu- Lay to Rest the Haunting Spirit (PeMe 20) +11: appeas-
nication (Beautiful voice) +1, Strength (Frail) -1, Stamina es a spirit, a ghost (p. 150)
(Alert) +1, Dexterity (Legerdemain) +1, Quickness Thoughts Within Babble (InMe 25) +15: allows under-
(Nonchalant) -1 standing foreign languages (p. 149)
Size: 0 Aura of Ennobled Presence (MuIm 10) +9: makes the
Age: 26 target look more credible, stronger (p. 145)
Confidence Score: 1 (3) Wizard Sigil: A couple of melodious music notes
Virtues and Flaws: Hermetic Magus, The Gift, Gentle Vis: 3 pawns of Corpus
Gift, Quiet Magic, Subtle Magic, True Love (Diane of Encumbrance: 1 (1)
Miglos), Deficient Technique (Perdo), Flawed Parma Magi-
ca (when the spell caster chants), Weak Enchanter
Personality Traits: Passionate +3, Frivolous +2, Description: In one word, you look great! The way you
Proud +1, Brave +1 carry your head and your costly, fashionable clothes leaves
no doubt about your noble origin. You are said nice, warm
Reputation: Penniless (Local, Nobility of the County and easy going. Moreover, you have no disdain for socializ-
of Foix) 2 ing with commoners, which fuels your popularity. Your
Combat: elders of the Grand Council view you as carefree and frivo-
lous, but you can be serious when it turns necessary.
Short Sword: Init -1, Atk +8, Def +5, Dam +4
Soak: +1
Background: You have been a member of the Cove-
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
nant of Bentalone for almost one year now. After passing
Wound Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Inca- your gauntlet and becoming a full magus at the 1214 Pro-
pacitated (16-20) vencal Tribunal, you scrupulously selected the Covenant
Core Abilities: Langue d’Oc (Poetry) 4, Latin 5, Artes closest to Miglos and managed to be accepted. Your only
Liberales 3, Magic Theory 4, Order of Hermes Lore 1, Par- goal was to live close to your beloved, your life’s true love,
ma Magica (Rego) 2, Music (Love songs) 4, Folk Ken Diane, daughter of the Baron of Miglos… You met her
(Nobility) 1, Stealth (Moving silently) 2, Single Weapon while travelling with your master Tancrède le Bel, minstrel
(Defense) 4, Ride (Parade) 3, Etiquette (Nobility) 1, Coun- and, of course, Jerbiton magus. Although Diane and you
ty of Foix Lore (Nobility) 1, Code of Hermes (Interactions were both very young at that time, you deeply fell in love
with mundanes) 1, Charm (Courteous love) 1 with each other. Until you could at last choose your own
destiny, you could only meet Diane when Tancrède’s trav-
Arts: Creo 3, Intellego 4, Muto 8, Perdo 0, Rego 5, Ani- els brought you to Miglos, but the strength of your love
mal 0, Aquam 0, Auram 0, Corpus 10, Herbam 0, Ignem 0, never waned.
Imaginem 0, Mentem 10, Terram 0, Vim 0
Spells:
Motivation: When the Grand Council declared that the
The Call to Slumber (ReMe 10) +16: makes the target covenant needed supplies and that someone should go
fall asleep (p. 151) with Quinault the autocrat to Tarascon’s fair, you immedi-
Arm of the Infant (MuCo 20) +19: shrinks the target’s ately volunteered. Not that the company of Quinault is
arm (p. 131) particularly fun or that you like bargaining for cattle or oth-
er supplies, but Tarascon-sur-Ariège is only half a league
Confusion of the Numbed Will (ReMe 15) +16: confus-
Sub Rosa

north of Miglos! Here is an unexpected occasion to meet

es the target (p. 151)
Diane, who will certainly be at the fair too. The other
Rise of the Feathery Body (ReCo 10) +16: makes the members of the expedition perfectly know why you accept-
target levitate (p. 134) ed this chore. It is indeed difficult to hide when you look
The Chirurgeon’s Healing Touch (CrCo 20, ritual) +17: so happy and keep singing Diane’s beauty along the road!
heals wounds (p. 129)
Whispers Through the Black Gate (InCo/Me 15) +15:
allows speaking with the dead (p. 130)
(Continued on page 46)

45
(Continued from page 45)  Gailhard: He is a Turb (Covenant guards) sergeant.
Relationships with the Other Characters:
 Carélia: She has been your shield grog, your person- 
al bodyguard, ever since you joined Bentalone. She
was imposed by the Great Council, which judged
that your expeditions among mundanes could be
dangerous for you. You were quite offended, but
there was no way to disobey. Eventually, Carélia
proved discreet, devoted, and in more than one oc-
casion useful to help you out of trouble. You ended
up esteeming her and granted her your friendship.
 Éthaine: What a naughty kid! If she was not Mar-
tin’s apprentice, you would have beaten her up long 
ago! You wonder why Martin keeps praising her
magical skills and her intelligence; you cannot stand
her. She always bothers you with her silly jokes and
inept babbling.
46
He is a little crude, but he is a competent soldier.
Martin: He is the only magus in the Covenant you
can call a friend, presumably because he is younger
than the members of the Grand Council. Of course,
he spends all his time in magical studies, while you
prefer living among mundanes, but you both got
along right from the start. You often chat for hours
about your respective views of magic but you had a
really hard time convincing this incorrigible lab rat
to come with you to Tarascon’s fair to take some
fresh hair.
Quinault: He is the Covenant’s autocrat (steward).
A too serious man who does not appreciate that you
sing for the grogs… Avoid him, or boredom will
catch upon you!
Sub Rosa
 Carélia, Évrard’s Shield Grog
Characteristics: Intelligence (Slow) -2, Perception (On
her toes) +1, Presence (Masculine) -2, Communication
(Taciturn) -1, Strength (Strong shoulders) +2, Stamina
(Iron constitution) +3, Dexterity (Sure-footed) +2, Quick-
ness (Good reflexes) +1
Size: 0
Age: 23
Confidence Score: 2 (5)
Virtues and Flaws: Custos, Self-Confident, Puissant
Ability (Single Weapon), Covenant Upbringing, Du-
tybound, Oversensitive (Disagreeable remarks to women)
Personality Traits: Brave +3, Devoted +3, Spiteful +1,
Quiet +2
Reputation: Not to be trifled with (Among grogs) 1
Combat:
Fist: Init -1, Atk +4, Def +5, Dam +2
Spear & Round Shield: Init +1, Atk +13, Def +12, Dam
+7
Soak: +10 (Full Metal Scale)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Would Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapaci-
tated (16-20)
Core Abilities: Langue d’Oc 4, Brawl (Immobilize) 2,
Awareness (Ambushes) 3, Athletics (Climb walls) 3, Single
Weapon (Close protection) 7+2, Swim 2, Leadership
(Intimidation) 1
Encumbrance: 2 (10)
Description: You certainly cannot be described as the
incarnation of womanhood. When you are fully equipped,
armor and helmet included, many even mistake you for a
man. You generally do nothing to disabuse them. You do
not care what others think.
Background: Your father was already part of Benta-
lone’s Turbula (guards). He had brought you to this place
so that you had a roof over your head and regular meals.
He died during a far-away expedition with magi. You were
only five years old. You never knew your mother who, you
Sub Rosa
think, died when you were born. Thus, you have been
raised at the Covenant. You were probably meant to be-
come a maid, but you were more attracted by martial train-
ing than menial chores. The Turb captain noticed you and
encouraged your inclination. After being a simple soldier,
you now occupy, thanks to your courage, the envied posi-
tion of Custos (favorites among the grogs) and shield grog
(magi personal bodyguard).
Motivation: You are part of the expedition to Tarascon-
sur-Ariège to protect the magi (Évrard d’Ange and Martin)
and, but not as much, their apprentices (actually Éthaine).
You must ensure that nothing bad happens to them. How-
ever, since this is no dangerous expedition, you should be
able to enjoy the fair and have a little fun. Such occasions
are so rare!
Relationships with the Other Characters:
 Éthaine: She is Martin’s apprentice. You do not
always understand her jokes, but she is a nice girl,
overall. She is sometimes cruel to you, but when she
realizes, she soon asks for forgiveness. Maybe she is
a little jealous of you being so close to Évrard?
 Évrard: You are his regular shield grog. Ever since
the first day, you have been loving him. You were
imposed to him, and he did not like it, but you were
able to become indispensable at his side. Now, he
has accepted you. You know that your love is im-
possible, for Évrard loves the beautiful Diane of
Miglos. Anyway, you suffer in silence and do every-
thing to make him happy.
 Gailhard: He is a Turb sergeant, and your immedi-
ate superior. He does not like a woman to be a Cus-
tos like he and regularly lets you know. But as long
as the Turb captain backs you up, you have nothing
to dread from him.
 Martin: He is a magus and as such, you must pro-
tect him. However, if you had to choose who to
save between him and Évrard, you would not hesi-
tate for a single second. Actually, you do not know
Martin very well, because he practically never steps
out of his laboratory.
 Quinault: He is the Covenant’s autocrat (steward).
You do not deal with him any more since you joined
the Turbula. In the Covenant, he is reputed to be
extremely strict.
47
Martin, Magus of House Bonisagus
Characteristics: Intelligence (Brilliant) +4, Perception
(Attentive) +1, Presence (Retiring) -1, Communication
(Stammers often) -1, Strength (Weak arms) -1, Stamina (Wilful)
+1, Dexterity (Clumsy) -1, Quickness (Alert) +2
Size: 0
Age: 33
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Hermetic Magus, The Gift, Life-Linked
Spontaneous Magic, Hermetic Prestige, Personal Vis Source
(Vim Vis all over the body), Inventive Genius, Fast Caster, Great master, who
Characteristic, Learn Magic Theory from Mistakes, Necessary
Condition (Gestures), Dark secret (took his master in Final Twi- his goal, you made a tiny manipulation mistake that sent you
light), Noncombatant, Susceptibility to Divine Power
Personality Traits: Curious +3, Obstinate +2, Faithful +2,
Ambitious +1
Reputation: Inventive (Hermetic) 3
Soak: +1
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Would Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapacitated
(16-20)
Core Abilities: German 4, Latin 5, Artes Liberales 3, Magic
Theory (Spell invention) 7, Order of Hermes Lore (Heroes) 4,
Parma Magica (Perdo) 3, Langue d’Oc 4, Finesse (Precision) 2,
Penetration (Rego) 2, Philosophiae (Magic) 2, Concentration
(Long periods) 3, Certamen (Rego) 2
Arts: Creo 7, Intellego 7, Muto 6, Perdo 5, Rego 13, Animal 5, never left the Covenant since she entered apprenticeship three
Aquam 5, Auram 5, Corpus 5, Herbam 5, Ignem 5, Imaginem 5, years ago. At that age, one cannot constantly remain inside a lab.
Mentem 5, Terram 5, Vim 12
Spells:
The Ear for Distant Voices (InIm 20) +13: distance listening (p.
145)
Gather the Essence of the Beast (ReVi 15) +26: distillates the raw
Vis contained in a dead creature (p. 162)
Freeing the Striding Tree (ReHe 30) +19: animates a tree (p. 139)
Sense of the Lingering Magic (InVi 30) +20: detects magical resi-
dues (p. 158)
Weaver’s Trap of Webs (CrAn 35) +13: projects a giant spider
web (p. 117)
The Unseen Porter (ReTe 10) +19: helps move heavy objects,
such as a chest (p. 156)
Wall of Protecting Stone (CrTe 25) +13: creates a stone wall (p.
153)
Suppressing the Wizard’s Handiwork (ReVi 35) +26: suspends a
spell (p. 162)
Lamp without Flame (CrIg 10) +13: creates light (p. 140)
Wizard Sigil: Geometric perfection
Vis: 3 pawns of Creo, 3 pawns of Intellego, 3 pawns of Rego, 5 
pawns of Vim
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
48
Description: You are average-sized, quite emaciate and a little
clumsy. Your robes are frequently stained with the sometimes
explosive results of your magical experiments. But anyway! Ap-
pearance is of little importance. Gossipers will soon shut up
when your experiments allow you to have Bonisagus’ magic the-
ory make a huge leap forward (which should come soon with
your last experiments going so well).
Background: Your apprenticeship took place in the Rhine
Tribunal, under supervision of Archmagus Ecilius. After you
passed your gauntlet in 1207, you came to Languedoc with your
thought he could find in the rich local libraries capi-
tal information to pursue his research. As he was about to reach
both in Twilight. You came back enlightened on some aspects of
magic theory that eluded you up to now, but Ecilius succumbed
to final twilight… Quaesitores did not even think you could be
held responsible, you, a disciple of Bonisagus. You surely did not
delude them. Rather than coming back to the Rhine Tribunal,
where you would have had to provide embarrassing explanations,
you remained at the Covenant of Bentalone, which you have
been a member of since 1210.
Motivation: You are not used to going to Tarascon-sur-Ariège
for resupplying the Covenant. Évrard d’Ange considerably insist-
ed that you “get out, breathe a little fresh air and forsake your
dear laboratory for a couple of days”. You finally agreed. You
suspect he wants you to help him meet his beloved, Diane of
Miglos. Moreover, it is true that your apprentice Éthaine has
Relationships with the Other Characters:
 Carélia: She is Évrard’s shield grog (bodyguard). She was
imposed to him by the Grand Council, which was a fortu-
nate decision, for she helped him out of several critical
situations.
 Éthaine: She is your first apprentice and reveals very
promising. You feel a great potential in her. Évrard often
complains about her behavior, while she is always quiet
and focused with you. She probably unwinds out of your
laboratory. So much the better!
 Évrard: He is your only true friend in the Covenant.
Members of the Grand Council are much older than you
and certainly do not share the same preoccupations.
Évrard and you have very different views regarding mag-
ic, but it is fascinating to hear him dissert about the
Sub Rosa
“magic” of art and other mundane things.
 Gailhard: He is a Turb (Covenant guards) sergeant. You
know him by sight, but it is the first time you really deal
with him. He is certainly a skilled fighter.
Quinault: He is the Covenant’s autocrat (steward), a seri-
ous man who can be counted on. When you need a rare
or costly ingredient, he always manages to deliver it to
you in reasonable time. A precious man!
 Éthaine, Martin’s apprentice
Characteristics: Intelligence (Studious) +3, Perception
(Curious) +1, Presence (Cute) +2, Communication 0, Strength
(Thin) -3, Stamina (Determined) +2, Dexterity 0, Quickness
(Restless) +2
Size: -1
Age: 13
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Apprentice, Gentle Gift, Puissant Art
(Rego), Animal Ken, Apt Student, Gossip, Necessary Condition
(Gestures), Animal Companion (Zorg the dog), Delusion
(Évrard d’Ange loves her), Compulsion (Jokes)
Personality Traits: Merry +1, Practical joker +3, Serious +1,
Jealous +3
Combat:
Fist: Init +2, Atk +2, Def +5, Dam -3
Soak: +2
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Would Penalties: -1 (1-4), -3 (5-8), -5 (9-12), Incapacitated (13
-16)
Core Abilities: Langue d’Oc 4, Latin 2, Artes Liberales 1,
Magic Theory 2, Order of Hermes Lore (History) 1, Parma Magi- 
ca 1, Brawl (Defense) 2, Stealth (Hide) 1, Legerdemain (Food) 2,
Athletics (Climb trees) 1
Arts: Rego 4/6, Animal 3, Corpus 2  Martin: He is your savior and your master of magic. He
Spells:
Eyes of the Cat (MuCo/An 5) +4: helps see at night (p. 131)
The Gentle Beast (ReAn 25) +13: calms an animal (p. 120)
Wizard Sigil: Small ephemeral stars
Encumbrance: 0 (0)
Description: You are a pretty young woman, now. And if any-
body, relying on your freckles, your black plait and your small
size, came to treat you like a girl, he’d better take care, for you
are now almost a maga and you would soon turn him (inevitably
him) into a pig!
Background: You have never been happy at your peasant
parents’. They preferred your brothers and sisters and used to
have you do the most repellent chores. Without reason, they
often threatened you to lose you in the forest and get rid of you,
the good-for-nothing. Your brothers and sisters were even
worse, always pulling your hair, throwing stones at you and steal-
ing your food. Your only true friend was your dog Zorg, a bald-
ing bastard nobody wanted. You finally understood, when you
Sub Rosa
were 8, that you actually frightened them. Thence, you immedi-
ately put these vexations to an end, but your family became even
more mistrustful. Your tenth birthday was meant to be as sad as
the others, when you met in the fields a curious man who was
staring at you. That evening, when you came back home, he was
talking to your father. The mysterious stranger gave your old
man a rather big purse, then stood up and took your hand. Dur-
ing the scene, your mother’s gaze never left the purse… The man
was called Martin and, while taking you far away, introduced
himself as a magus. He hard perceived in you what he called the
Gift and wanted to make you his apprentice. You have been
studying the art of magic for three years under his guidance now,
within the Covenant of Bentalone. You quickly came to like it,
even more so you are much better treated here than you ever
were at your parents’.
Motivation: You have never left the Covenant since your arri-
val, three years ago. You are very excited about going to
Tarascon’s fair. Of course, Martin will be here to watch over you,
but the gorgeous Évrard d’Ange will be there too… And there
will be tons of exciting things to do!
Relationships with the other characters:
 Carélia: This big girl is Évrard’s shield grog (bodyguard).
Fortunately for you, she is not a serious rival: she is both
ugly and dumb! You sometimes play the worst jokes on
her, but she always forgives you, so that you envy her a
little less for being so close to Évrard.
 Évrard: The first time you saw him, you immediately
knew you would love only him! He is gorgeous, intelli-
gent, sensitive… in one word, marvelous! You quickly did
anything to be noticed by him, but without much success.
Évrard still seems to consider you as a little girl, rather
than as the young lady and apprentice maga you became!
But he will realize, sometimes…
Gailhard: He is a Turb (Covenant guards) sergeant, a big
guy with a moustache, and not the kind of accommodat-
ing guy. Fortunately, you never deal with him.
revealed your own Gift to you and taught you how to use
it. He is an awesome teacher and each of his lessons is a
new occasion to marvel at. He told you once that he
would made you the greatest maga of her generation…
You will be eternally grateful to him for all that.
 Quinault: He is the Covenant’s autocrat (steward). All
grogs, as well as other apprentices, fear him. But not you.
You indeed caught him in the cellar one day, emptying a
bottle of wine from the magi’s reserve. He saw you and
turned all red. Since then, he takes great care of not an-
noying you.
Zorg the Dog
Characteristics: Cunning 0, Perception +2, Presence -4, Com-
munication 0, Strength 0, Stamina +2, Dexterity +1, Quickness
+2
Size: 0
Personality Traits: Loyal (to Éthaine) +6, Brave +2
Combat:
Bite: Init +2, Atk +8, Def +7, Dam +1
Soak: +2
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0/0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Would Penalties: -1 (1-3), -3 (4-6), -5 (7-9), Incapacitated (8-
12)
Core Abilities: Athletics (Endurance) 3, Awareness (On
guard) 3, Brawl (Bite) 3, Hunt (Tracking) 4
49
Quinault, the Covenant’s Autocrat
Characteristics: Intelligence (Pragmatic) +2, Perception
(Finicky) +1, Presence (Severe look) -1, Communication
(Strong voice) +2, Strength 0, Stamina (Tireless) +2, Dex-
terity (Rusty) -1, Quickness (Phlegmatic) -2
Size: 0
Age: 37
Confidence Score: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Covenfolk, Educated, Common
Sense, Piercing Gaze, Visions, Compulsion (Drinking),
Obsessed (Serving magi well)
Personality Traits: Severe +3, Melancholy +2, Faithful
+3
Reputation: Severe (Local, Bentalone Covenant) 2
Combat:
Short Sword: Init +5, Atk +8, Def +6, Dam +1
Soak: +4 (Partial Heavy Leather)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Would Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapaci- Relationships with the Other Characters:
tated (16-20)
Core Abilities: Langue d’Oc 5, Latin 3, Artes Liberales
(Arithmetic) 4, Philosophiae 3, Folk Ken (Grogs) 2, Single
Weapon (Defense) 6, Carouse (Drinking) 3, Leadership
(Grogs) 4, Etiquette (Magi) 2, Bargain (Lab supplies) 5,
Ride (Harnessing) 1, Common Law (Local laws) 1
Encumbrance: 3 (4)
Description: You are rather tall, slim but not meager.
Your austere face and your piercing gaze make people un-
easy, which you do not dislike. Your temples start turning
gray, as does your beard, which is always neatly trimmed.
Background: You come from a family of traders. Your 
father accidentally died when you were very young. The
family business was then held by your uncle Victor, who
sheltered you and your mother, and raised you as his own
son. Your destiny was straightforward: you would work for
your uncle, and then for your cousin Gaspard when time
came. But one day, as you were traveling along a Pyrenean
road (the very same road where your father died, you dis-
covered later), you had your first vision… It was your fa-
ther! Leading a cart convoy, he was descending toward the
valley. Suddenly, your father nodded and fell on the cart’s
bench. A man had subdued him from inside the cart! As
the man whipped the mules to panic them, you recognized
him immediately… Victor! He had always told the mules
had been scared by falling rocks. He had always claimed to
have jumped off the cart right in time, while your father
wanted to save the shipment at all price. Deeply disturbed,
50
you talked to your mother, but she would not listen, and
then to your uncle, who got mad and drove you out. But
you knew. His gaze betrayed him. Then you got to drink.
You were nothing but a bloodless wreck when a magus
from the Grand Council of the Bentalone Covenant ap-
proached you and asked you to become the autocrat. It is a
position you are now proud of, and you are forever grate-
ful to the magi. You still sometimes drink, usually hiding,
but you always take care that it does not jeopardize your
position.
Motivation: Your duty is to supply the Covenant with
various furnishing, as well as food. It is natural for you to
go to Tarascon’s fair. However, you wonder why the
Grand Council sent the two youngest magi in the Cove-
nant with you. You would have managed everything fine
without them. Their elders presumably wish to train them
at leading grogs. Anyway, this fair will allow you drinking
without anybody being upset, once your job is done. Some
kind of tradition…
 Carélia: She is Évrard d’Ange’s shield grog. She
interposed more than once between he and you,
whereas this young whippersnapper distracted grogs
from their tasks with his futile poetry.
 Éthaine: She is Martin’s young apprentice, a naugh-
ty kid who spends her free time playing stupid jokes
to grogs and stealing food from the kitchens. Martin
should better watch over her.
 Évrard: He is the youngest of the magi. He seems
to spend most of his time writing poems and sing
them. The problem is that he believes everybody
should enjoy his poetry, and he keeps on distracting
grogs from working with such frivolities.
Gailhard: He is a Turb (Covenant guards) sergeant,
a skillful and serious veteran.
 Martin: Unlike Évrard d’Ange, Martin is a young
but serious magus. He only appeals to you when it is
strictly necessary, and for reasons that are always
approved by the Grand Council. You know for sure
that he is about to become a member of this noble
assembly.
Sub Rosa
 Gailhard, Turb sergeant
Characteristics: Intelligence (Stubborn) -1, Perception 0,
Presence (Scars) -1, Communication (Gruff) -3, Strength
(Strong arms) +3, Stamina (Barrel chested) +3, Dexterity
(Precise) +2, Quickness (Massive) -2
Size: 0
Age: 34
Confidence Score: 3
Virtues and Flaws: Custos, Warrior, Lost love, Depend-
ent
Personality Traits: Brave +3, Cruel +1, Loyal +0, Vio-
lent +3
Reputation: Skilled warrior (Local, Among grogs) 1
Combat:
Fist: Init -3, Atk +8, Def +4, Dam +3
Great Sword: Init -1, Atk +15, Def +8, Dam +12
Long Bow: Init -5, Atk +10, Def +2, Dam +11
Soak: +12 (Full Chain Mail)
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, -1, -3, -5, Unconscious
Would Penalties: -1 (1-5), -3 (6-10), -5 (11-15), Incapaci-
tated (16-20)
Core Abilities: Langue d’Oc 4, Brawl (Head-butts) 6,
Awareness (Stand guard) 2, Folk Ken (Soldiers) 2, Great
Weapon (Body guarding) 8, Bows (Still targets) 4, Ride (In
battle) 2, Chirurgy (Cuts) 4, Leadership (Group Combat) 3
Encumbrance: 1 (10)
Description: You are tall and muscular, and always wear
your impeccable chainmail armor. Your face has been
made little agreeable because of multiple scars, and your
bushy mustache does not make you less frightening. You
do not care. It impresses adversaries and prevents you
from being bothered by pedlars when you walk in town.
who had stayed alone all this time. You did not want her to
live at the Covenant, with soldiers always all around the
place. You could not have her stay at the village without
protection any more. Thus, you decided to trade your ser-
vice to the Covenant. The Turb captain, knowing your situ-
ation, accepted to hire you as a mercenary. However, this
arrangement certainly affects your advancement. While you
could probably have ended Turb captain, you are still a
sergeant, with little hope for a promotion.
Motivation: You must ensure that the expedition to
Tarascon’s fair goes well. You are in charge of protecting
everybody, in particular magi (Évrard d’Ange and Martin).
From your point of view, the soonest it is over, the soonest
you can go back home and take care of your daughter. You
wonder what kind of gift from the fair would please her...
Relationships with the Other Characters:
 Carélia: She is Évrard d’Ange’s shield grog
(bodyguard). She is quite young to already be a Cus-
tos (favorite grog) like you (sigh)…
 Éthaine: Martin’s apprentice. She is just a kid. You
still must protect her as if she was already a maga,
and probably even more, given her minx reputation.
 Évrard: He is a magus of House Jerbiton, as he
says. He spends a lot of time with normal people,
and gets along very well with commoners. Despite
his “too much” side, you like him.
 Martin: This one is a true lab rat! He never leaves
on an expedition. You hardly know him.
 Quinault: He is the Covenant’s autocrat (steward).
A skilled man who often speaks in your favor at the
Grand Council. Grogs find him severe. This is prob-
ably true. So what?

Background: You were born at the Covenant of Benta-

lone, where your parents were grogs. Since you were very
young, your father has been training you in martial arts.
You were destined to a great future within the Turbula
(Covenant guards). Everything was running fine. At 18,
you even married a distant cousin from a nearby village.
She gave you two gorgeous daughters. Unfortunately, your
Sub Rosa

duties at the Covenant left you little time to enjoy family

life. While you were on a mission with some magi, some-
thing terrible happened at the village. And band of thugs
brutally attacked the village, plundered all its food supplies
and slayed many inhabitants… including your wife and
eldest daughter. When you came back, an immense wrath
prevented any sorrow in you. You did not speak to anyone
before having put to the sword the last of the bloody brig-
ands. Then you had to care for your youngest daughter,

51
 Mythic Bloodlines:
More than the Founders
F or magi, the Mythic Blood
Virtue offers a fantastic
benefit. As a Major Virtue, it grants
the character fatigue benefits when
casting formulaic spells, a magical
power with no limitation on use and a
maximum total level of 30, a Minor
Magical Focus, and a minor
Personality Flaw. Additionally, this
establishes a birth legacy for the
character, opening the door to the
possibility of blood-siblings who
share their heritage and may serve as
potential allies, rivals, or enemies.
Such a background gives easy hooks
for Storyguides to tie in the lost
projects of powerful sorcerers,
enemies who simply wish to eliminate
a wizard’s lineage, or grudges born by
unaging creatures and transferred to
the player magus. However, for those
52
seeking a source for their character’s
Mythic Blood, hunting down suitable
ancestors can prove challenging. To
ease the search, we offer this series.
The summaries provided below
are very brief, and are not meant to
substitute for a full understanding of
the referenced figures. Players and
Storyguides are encouraged to further
research individuals who pique their
interest.
Novgorod Tribunal
and Scandinavia
Stretching from the wide steppes
of the Rus to icy shores of
Scandinavia, there are many wizards
appropriate for the Mythic Blood
By Ben McFarland
Virtue. Some might still linger in the
landscape or the Magic Realm, like
Baba Yaga or Snaer. Others are long-
gone, like Thorbjorg or Louhi.
Baba Yaga
Called “Old Grandmother,” Baba
Yaga lives deep in the woods,
occupying an enchanted hut which
walks around on great chicken legs.
Surrounded by an iron picket fence,
with a skull mounted on every spindle
but one, a special rhyme is necessary
to find the hut’s entrance. Baba
Yaga’s teeth and fingernails are sharp
iron, she can speak with animals;
control the spirits of the dead,
sometimes forcing them to animate
or occupy objects; and she flies about
on an enormous mortar and pestle.
She has many beautiful daughters,
some of whom may have escaped
with various suitors, and her
bloodline might exist in the world
through these girls. Tales claim she
eats children and she has threatened
more than one story’s hero with the
stew pot. Baba Yaga knows many
secrets, and may be able to exist in
more than one place and time
simultaneously.
A wizard with this bloodline might
have a pagan background, or be from
Baltic, Slavic, or Russian cultures or
Sub Rosa
regions.
Possible Powers:
Speak & Gesture: ReMe 25
Command the Errant Spirit (R: Voice,
D: Sun, T: Ind) This effect has 5
Penetration. The magus may control a
disembodied spirit he can sense. (Base
5 + 2 Voice + 2 Sun)
Speak: InAn 25 Gift of Feral
 Speech (R: Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind)
The caster may speak with a specific
animal within voice range. (Base 10 +
2 Voice + 1 Concentration)
Gesture: InMe 20 Posing the Silent
Question (R: Eye, D: Mom, T: Ind) As
per the spell, ArM5 page 149.
Neither Speak nor Gesture:
ReTe 15 Ghostly Grasp (R: Voice, D:
Conc, T: Ind) As per the spell,
Unseen Arm, but able to affect
Herbam and Animal objects, too.
(Base 2 + 2 Voice + 1 Concentration
+ 2 Animal & Herbam requisites;
ArM5 page 155)
Possible Minor Magical Foci:
Animating objects, controlling the
spirits of the dead, discovering
secrets, speaking with animals.
Possible Personality Flaws:
Busybody, Meddler, Proud, Wrathful.

Snaer the Old

Snaer is the son of Frost and the
son of Kári, a lord of wind. His
grandfather was a giant, and Snaer is
considered a personification of snow.
Snaer lived amongst men 300 years
and then disappeared. Once a king of
Finland, Gotland, and Kvenland,
Snaer could fly and had three
magically adept daughters, Fön (Fǫnn
‘Snowdrift’), Drífa ‘snowfall’, and
Mjöl (Mjǫll, ‘powdered snow’), and a
son, Thorri (‘frozen-snow’). Thorri’s
children ruled Norway from the
Jotunheim mountains in the north to
Alfheim in the south.
A wizard with this bloodline might
have a pagan background, or be from
a Scandinavian culture, including
Iceland, the Orkney Islands, the
Shetlands, or the Isle of Man.
Sub Rosa
Part) As per the spell, ArM5 page
142.
Gesture: ReMe 20 Aura of Rightful
Authority (R: Eye, D: Sun, T: Ind) As
per the spell, ArM5 page 151.
Neither Speak nor Gesture: PeIg
10 Winter’s Icy Touch (R: Voice, D:
Mom, T: Ind) As per the spell, ArM5
page 142, but this effect has 5
Penetration.
Possible Minor Magical Foci:
Ice and snow, rulership, storms,
winter.
Possible Personality Flaws:
Ambitious, Driven, Overconfident,
Proud.
Thorbjorg
lost memories, found their swords
blunt or armor weak, or drove their
victims mad. Odin and Frejya both
knew Seidr.
A wizard with this bloodline might
have a pagan background, or be from
a Scandinavian culture, including
Iceland, the Orkney Islands, the
Shetlands, or the Isle of Man.
Possible Powers:
Speak & Gesture: ReAu Pull of the
Skybound Winds (R: Voice, D: Conc,
T: Ind) As per ArM5, page 126.
Speak: ReCo 25 Awaken the
Slumbering Corpse (R: Voice, D: Conc,
T: Ind) As per ArM5, page 134.
Gesture: ReMe 20 Madness of the
Snare-bound Beast (R: Eye, D: Conc,

Possible Powers:
Speak & Gesture: CrAu 30
Bluster of Summer Snow (R: Sight, D:
Sun, T: Ind) As per the spell, Clouds of
Summer Snow, ArM5 page 126, but
with Sun duration.
Speak: PeIg 25 Conjuration of the
Indubitable Cold (R: Voice, D: Mom, T:
This pagan viking sorceress is
mentioned in the sagas of Erik the
Red as a practitioner of Seidr, a
wizard who “spins charms” utilizing
cord or thread. Seidr helped with
divination, controlling spirits and the
dead, summoning storms or sinking
ships, protect one from harm, and
even cursing one’s enemies so they
T: Ind) While the magus concentrates,
the target completes all actions as if
consumed by madness. (Base 10, +1
Eye, +1 Concentration)
Neither Speak nor Gesture:
PeTe 15 Crumbling Panoply (R: Sight,
D: Mom, T: Ind) As per Rusted Decay
of Ten-Score Years, but at Sight range;
see ArM5, page 155.

53

Possible Minor Magical Foci:
Controlling corpses, controlling
spirits, cursing enemy targets so they
suffer, learning secrets, protecting
from one type of physical harm (fire,
weapons, drowning).
Possible Personality Flaws:
Ambitious, Lecherous, Proud,
Weakness (Attracted Gender).
Väinämöinen
In some Finnish tales,
Väinämöinen is a powerful wizard or
god, born of Ilmater and the seas of
creation. Other stories claim he is the
son of the hero-king Kalev, and
brother of Ilmarinen and Hiisi. He
could shape the land, crafted magical
instruments, command the wind,
fought and defeated many magical
foes; he was a very capable warrior.
Väinämöinen cast his spells by singing
or reciting poetry and searched far
and wide for a bride. He departed the
land after a mystical newborn
chastised him for his sins and failures.
Väinämöinen sang himself a copper
boat and sailed over the horizon,
54
swearing to return one day. Although
he never found a bride, it’s very
possible he had a dalliance, or that a
wizard has his bloodline through one
of Väinämöinen’s brothers.
A wizard with this bloodline might
have a pagan background, or be from
a Scandinavian culture, including
Iceland, the Orkney Islands, the
Shetlands, or the Isle of Man.
Possible Powers:
Speak & Gesture: ReCo 30 Seven-
league Stride (R: Per, D: Mom, T: Ind)
As per the spell, ArM5 page 135.
Speak: ReMe 25 Call for the
Grateful Audience (R: Voice, D:
Conc, T: Room) The occupants of a
room believe the caster’s voice, either
singing or storytelling, to be
wonderfully pleasant and beautiful.
This effect has 5 Penetration. (Base 3
+ 2 Voice + 1 Concentration + 2
Room)
Gesture: ReTe 20 Summon the
Ready Earthworks (R: Voice, D:
Mom, T: Part) Shift the earth into a
berm, to 25 paces wide, 2 paces high,
and 2 paces thick. This berm may take
any shape desired by the caster; with a
Finesse roll of 12+, the caster may
adjust the dimensions. However, the
total may not exceed 100 cubic paces,
and the height may not exceed the
thickness. (Base 3 + 2 Voice + 1 Part
+ 2 Size)
Neither Speak nor Gesture:
ReCo 15 Endurance of the Berserkers (R:
Per, D: Conc, T: Ind) As per the spell,
ArM5 page 134.
Minor Magical Focus: Battle,
building ships, music, shaping the
land, travel.
Possible Personality Flaws:
Ambitious, Lecherous,
Overconfident, Proud.
Louhi
Known as the Mistress of the
North, Louhi was the matriarch of
the Pohjola people in ancient
Scandinavia, a tribe which rivaled
Väinämöinen’s people. While
Väinämöinen searched for a wife,
Louhi saved his life. She had many
daughters, some of whom were
seduced by Ilmarinen and
Väinämöinen’s companions. A
powerful witch, she could change
shape, banish disease, cast mighty
enchantments, and throw lightning
bolts. She demanded Väinämöinen’s
brother, Ilmarinen, craft the Sampo
to win the hand of one of her
daughters, and then stole it from him
after her daughter spurned him. The
Sampo itself was destroyed in the
battle between Väinämöinen and
Louhi, and its pieces scattered across
creation.
A wizard with this bloodline might
Sub Rosa
have a pagan background, or be from
a Scandinavian culture, including
Iceland, the Orkney Islands, the
Shetlands, or the Isle of Man.
Possible Powers:
Speak & Gesture: CrAu Call the
Lightning (R: Sight, D: Mom, T: Ind)
The caster summons down a lightning
bolt out of the sky to strike a target,
 doing +30 damage as per Incantation of
Lightning (ArM5, page 126) but the
spell only functions outdoors. No
clouds need to be in the sky, but the
target may not be indoors. (Base 5 +
3 Sight + 2 created phenomenon in a
very unnatural fashion)
Speak: CrCo 25 Cleanse the
Pustulent Wounds (R: Touch, D:
Moon, T: Ind) As per Purification of the
Festering Wounds, but the target gains a
+15 to recover from wounds and
injuries, see ArM5 page 129.
Gesture: ReIm 20 Wizard’s
Deception (R: Per, D: Sun, T: Ind)
The wizard appears and sounds as if
he is up to 100 paces from his current
location. This spell is similar to
Wizard’s Sidestep, except the wizard’s
image and sounds may be shifted in
location. The wizard must be able to
see or vocally reach the area where his
image and sound will emanate. (Base
5 + 2 Sun +1 additional sense)
Neither Speak nor Gesture:
MuCo 15 Disguise of the New Visage (R:
Per, D: Sun, T: Part) As per the spell,
ArM5 page 131.
Possible Minor Magical Foci:
Changing shape, disease, storms,
trickery, winds.
Possible Personality Flaws:
Avaricious, Driven, Overconfident,
Vow (Care for family).
infusing the Sampo with the power of
the four winds, he presented it to
Louhi. Louhi’s daughter refused to
leave the lands of Pohjola, and
Ilmarinen returned home, dejected.
There, he crafted a woman of gold
and silver, and animated her to be his
wife. The metal bride was cold and
hard, and so he melted her back to
ingots. Undaunted, he finally married
one of his half-brother Hiisi’s
daughters, after proving his worth by
ploughing a field of vipers, capturing
the bear of the God of the
Underworld, Tuoni, and catching the
greatest pike of Underworld’s river.
A wizard with this bloodline might
have a pagan background, or be from
a Scandinavian culture, including
Iceland, the Orkney Islands, the
Shetlands, or the Isle of Man.
Possible Powers:
Speak & Gesture: ReAu 30 Wings
of Soaring Wind (R: Touch, D: Conc,
T: Ind) As per ArM5, page 126.
Speak: CrIg 25 Stoke the Master’s
Forge (R: Voice, D: Diam, T: Ind)
Create a fire hot enough to melt lead,
doing +15 damage anyone caught in
it. This fire needs no fuel, but will go
out after the duration if no fuel exists.
If combustible materials are fed into
it, it will remain as along as it is
sustained. (Base 10 + 2 Voice + 1
Diameter)
Gesture: ReAn 20 Claim the
Hunter’s Prize (R: Voice, D: Conc, T:
Ind) As per Viper’s Gaze, but at Voice
range. (ArM5, page 120)
Neither Speak nor Gesture:
ReTe 15 Backbiter’s Revenge (R:
Voice, D: Conc, T: Ind) The metal
weapon wielded by an individual
bends back to strike the owner for +5
damage. (Base 4 + 2 Voice + 1
Concentration)
Possible Minor Magical Foci:
Animating objects, capturing
creatures and spirits, creating hot
fires, creating objects with metal,
harnessing the wind.
Possible Personality Flaws:
Driven, Judged Unfairly, Lecherous,
Obsessed.

Ilmarinen
The brother of Väinämöinen,
Ilmarinen was a master craftsman and
possibly studied the same tradition as
Weyland or Verditius. Unlucky in
love, he could make anything and
forged the mythical Sampo to win the
hand of one of Louhi’s daughters. In
Sub Rosa

the process of creating the Sampo, he

crafted and destroyed a magical
crossbow, a magical ship, a magical
bull, and a magical plow. But
Ilmarinen could speak to the spirit of
each of these items, and found them
flawed and bloodthirsty, so he
destroyed them and continued
working on the Sampo. Finally,

55
 Companion Piece:
The Three Good Men of Bréifne
T he Companion Piece series
provides detailed characters
ideal for use either as companions to
individual magi or as associates to
entire covenants. The last article in
this series, back in issue 9, looked at
William of Ayelsbury, a pious knight
destined to join one of the military
orders.
This time around, in support of
the new The Contested Isle: The
Hibernian Tribunal supplement, we
detail a band of three companions
ideal for strengthening your
56
Hibernian covenant either against the
advances of foreign magi, or to use
their local knowledge against the
recalcitrant Hibernians who stand in
your way.
The three good men of Bréifne are
rogues, primarily interested in their
own wealth, standing, and security,
but they are an effective band and
well–suited to Hibernia’s distinctly
antagonistic culture. Importantly for
any covenant in Hibernia, the three
good men of Bréifne are not barred
from entering the province of
By David Agnew
Connacht, something that magi of the
Order are forbidden to do under the
centuries–old Treaty of Cnoc Maol
Réidh (see The Contested Isle: The
Hibernian Tribunal, page 12).
Mercenary they may be, even
ruthless at times, but there is a spark
of conscience within the three good
men of Bréifne and they will not let
your covenant down.
Sub Rosa
 Cuckold Friends first and mercenary While he is away, his wife Sinead
colleagues second, the three are a oversees the business, although she
Though younger than Sinead, Liam common sight in the drinking houses delegates much of this to Liam.
carries a torch for her and is often of Carrick and beyond.
angered by Eóin’s prolonged absences, Eóin, Sinead, and Shay all live in
seeing this as abandoning his wife. Eóin’s house, which also serves as his
Each time that Eóin remains away Eóin, a Clothier by
workshop and stores. Liam pays for a
room in lodgings in the next street
from Carrick for two seasons or more, Trade over.
there is a chance that Liam makes his
Eóin is the leader of the three and As a clothier, Eóin is not content
feelings known to Sinead and there is
the others are loyal to him above any with his lot. He does not see his
also a chance that she reciprocates.
loyalty to a covenant or individual fortune in years of shearing, snipping,
If this happens, then rumours may magus. He is a clothier by trade and and sewing, but in using his other
start to spread, first through the local nominal member of a small clothier’s abilities. Neither cruel nor ruthless, he
streets and then to the clothiers’ guild. guild in the town of Carrick where he is at least prepared to do things that
maintains a workshop. others would be too timid or afraid to
He is currently responsible for an do. He is also a gambler and luck is
The Three Good apprentice, Shay, who is twelve years
old and has another five years to go
more often on his side than against
him.
Men before he completes his
apprenticeship.
The three good men of Bréifne are Risteard, a Butcher by
Eóin (OH–n) the clothier, Risteard His also employs another
(RISH–taird) the butcher, and journeyman clothier, Liam, who is Trade
Somhairle (SO–uhr–lyeh) the weaver. twenty–three years old and a Risteard claims his profession as
They have no great love for the competent craftsman. butcher and that may be accurate on
English, but they each have as much He has two free seasons per year more than one level. Lacking the
antipathy again for their own Irish in which to pursue stories. The other character to run his own affairs of
enemies. two seasons are spent in tending his business, he works, when in Carrick,
business, including teaching Shay. for a butcher there. His work consists
of slaughtering, skinning, gutting, and
chopping carcasses.
Outside of the slaughterhouse and
the butcher’s shop, he provides the
muscle behind Eóin’s smarts.
Risteard is afflicted with the battle
transformations, as described in The
Contested Isle: The Hibernian Tribunal,
page 120. He has inherited these from
a long–distant Fir Bolg ancestor and
he is the first in his family to suffer
them in generations. Despite his
village speaking in awed terms about
the feats carried out by his “uncle”
Finn, Risteard’s own transformations
have caused him to be feared more
Sub Rosa

than lauded.
Though Risteard does not yet
know it, he has an enemy. Far to the
west and many years ago, a Fir Bolg
warrior was cursed and stripped of his
fighting prowess. He lost the power
of his battle transformations and they
were given instead to a baby born on
that very moment. Risteard was that

57
 Fergal mac Artan of the Uí
Covenant Craftsmen Raghallaigh believes that Somhairle
The Town of Carrick
The three craftsmen might be cursed his daughter with a sudden The three good men all live in the
brought into the covenant proper, in falling sickness that left her blind. small town of Carrick in East Bréifne.
which case Eóin and Somhairle save a While it is true that Somhairle has the This is inside the province of
combined six pounds of expenditure ability to curse, he was not Connacht, but their reputations as
against Consumables and Risteard responsible, believing instead the adventurers goes beyond and
saves three pounds of expenditure cause to be infernal. characters wishing to engage their
against Provisions, both as per services can easily make contact them
Covenants, page 66 and subject to the He maintains his workshop at the
through a number of social contacts
limits described there. edge of town alongside the main road outside of Connacht.
that runs from the gate to the
marketplace. While this is a little out Carrick itself is under the control of
of the way for daily trade, it is within the Uí Raghallaigh but the nearby
an area of heightened magical power. lands are frequently raided by the
child. The Fir Bolg, called Keogh There is a level three magical aura that O’Raghnaills families of North
(Kee–OH), has been looking for the pushes through the relatively low Roscommon.
child ever since, determined to find a level two Dominion that covers
way to reclaim what is his. If the Carrick. He has built his Gruagachan
death of this imposter is what it takes, laboratory into the back room of his
then that is what Keogh will do. home and workshop.
to the payment of his debts to those
Like Eóin, Somhairle has an of lower standing. One of these was
Somhairle, a Weaver by apprentice, Finn, who is just ten years Somhairle the weaver. A year ago,
old. Being unmarried, when out on
Trade the road with his friends, he leaves his
after refusing to pay Somhairle for
several rolls of cloth, his daughter was
Somhairle is a weaver resident in affairs in the hands of his struck blind. Fergal associated the two
Carrick and belonging to the same housekeeper, Fiona, who is a weaver events and declaimed Somhairle as a
small guild as Eóin. He is, however, of journeyman quality in her own sorcerer. The cry has not yet gathered
one of the Uí Ruairc of West Bréifne, merit. Fiona knows that Somhairle is momentum, though Somhairle has
something that certain Uí Raghallaigh a druid of some kind, but all Finn heard of the accusation. He knows he
families hold against him. knows is that there is a door that did not do it, but he believes it is the
He is also a giant–blooded remains locked and that he is not infernal attempting to stir up
unGifted Gruagach (Hedge Magic: allowed past. discontent between the Uí
Revised Edition, page 55) with the Fergal mac Artan is a wealthy and Raghallaigh and the Uí Ruairc.
power to grant blessings and curses. influential man around Carrick. As
It is this touch of magic that is at the such, he takes a somewhat lax attitude
heart of the feud he finds himself in. The Kingdom of
Equipment and Resources knotted blackthorn branch, have a large heavy knob at the
end, which can inflict a frightening blow upon an enemy.
The three good men have few resources of note. They
have no great wealth between them, are owed no particular Like the traditional Irish ax, the sparra, the sail éille is
favors, and have few friends of influence. They all carry peculiar to Ireland and sees more use in fighting than do
simple weapons and generally have light and inexpensive knives, daggers, and swords, largely down to its ubiquity.
armor, unless they are provisioned with anything heavier by They can be of varying sizes and a smaller sail éille is
their associated covenant or employers. treated as a bludgeon or club and a larger sail éille as a
Sub Rosa

cudgel, as per the table in ArM5, page 176, and each

As craftsmen, they start play each with a standard
according to the appropriate weapon Ability.
workshop, which they can improve over time using the
rules found in City & Guild, page 65. A character with a specialty of sail éille for their weapon
Ability may use the sail éille in a scuffle without the
Somhairle also starts play with a Gruagachan Laboratory,
standard –3 Attack penalty described in ArM5, page 174
which is housed in a locked room in his home.
under Non–Lethal Combat.
The Sail Éille
The three good men each carry a club called a sail éille
(shi–LAY–lee). These stout sticks, each carved from a

58

Bréifne
Though subject to the Kingdom
of Connacht, Bréifne is a kingdom in
its own right ruled from Dromahaire,
to the east of Sligo with Lough Gill
sitting between the two, by the Uí
Ruairc, the same tuath from which
Somhairle hails. The kingdom
stretches from the west coast across
to Meath and is bordered along the
north by Ulster. However, just like
Ireland and the Hibernian Tribunal
itself, Bréifne is a conflicted place.
The Uí Ruairc are active rivals to
the Uí Raghallaigh and dissent and
violence between the factions is
common. These conflicts manifest in
many ways, from small–scale
factionalism across Bréifne’s towns
and villages to outright battle for
control of lucrative roads and valley
passes. The raiding of farms and even
churches is common, with each side
stealing cattle and silver from the
other wherever it can.
The individual families that form
part of these clans are frequently
drawn into these squabbles and blood
–feuds can exist between families for
generations without resolution, lying
dormant for years before flaring up in
a sudden explosion of violence.
Ultimately, the kingdom divides
around the middle of the thirteenth
century but until then the rulers of
the great clans turn their violent
attention to each other, almost as
though the forces of the infernal have
guided them towards a self–
destructive end.
You can find more detail on
Bréifne in The Contested Isle: The
Hibernian Tribunal, page 36.
Sub Rosa
the loose association of Irish hedge
wizards and druids. In conceding
Connacht, magi of the Order are
forbidden from spending more than
three nights under a Connacht sky. If
they have any business in that
province, either mundane or magical,
they must act through proxies and
agents instead of going themselves.
The three good men present good
proxies for entering Connacht and
carrying out instructions and activities
at the request of covenants or
individual magi. Between them, they
can read and write, handle themselves
in combat, and have some small
magical abilities. They are also blessed
with few ambitions beyond self–
preservation and the accumulation of
sufficient wealth to provide a
comfortable retirement.
While not thieves and murderers
themselves, at least not by trade, they
are rogues and as such they occupy a
certain level within society. They have
contacts through which they can gain
information and leverage, especially
within Connacht, that covenants may
not have access to. They are
comfortable dealing with a side of life
that covenants may want to remain
separate from and while Somhairle
cannot condone the taking of
innocent life, they are prepared to
inflict harm where needed.
They also provide decent cover
for various acts of mundane
interference and though they are low
tradesmen their connections with the
fledgling guilds may provide
opportunities for contact with the
authorities. The butcher, Risteard,
may supply merchants and nobles
alike with meat and also act as
slaughterman for their livestock. Eóin
might find himself commissioned to
make new clothes for men and
women of standing. It is a fine
distinction, but Somhairle might
provide another route into society.
While Eóin has access to individual
through various sessions to take
measurements and to undertake
fittings, Somhairle might gain access
to their households, working with
stewards, ladies of the house, and the
like to determine what linens and
fabrics the house requires. This access

Companion Material
The Hibernian Tribunal offers a
particular challenge for magi of the
Order in the shape of Connacht.
Under the centuries–old treaty of
Cnoc Maol Réidh, the Order
concedes Connacht to the Coill Trí,

59
across the three strata of a household
(Ristead in the kitchens, Somhairle to
the stewards and the ladies, and Eóin
to the great men and women of the
house) could be useful to a covenant.
Finally, their understanding of the
Order of Hermes and of magic in
general makes them suited to spying
upon rival covenants and even the
defenses in place around important
resources, such as vis sources, cattle,
and even a covenant’s Cathach.
Advancing the
Three Good Men
Each of the three good men must
work two seasons, gaining exposure
experience in their primary Craft
Ability. This is true even for Risteard
who despite being essentially a day
labourer must still work to earn a
living. The other two seasons are
available for either story & adventure
or for practice & study.
Eóin is perhaps the easiest to
advance. When not engaged in a
story, his two free seasons are likely
to be spent in practice; one for a
physical Ability and one for a mental
Ability.
Like Eóin, Risteard is likely to
spend his two seasons in advancing
his Abilities. He is a little more
focused in the physical side than Eóin
so he may be best–placed advancing
his combat Abilities. He is also a good
candidate for learning the Clesrada
(see The Contested Isle: The Hibernian
Tribunal, page 101). This would
involve finding a sponsor to ensure
that Úathach takes him as a student
and he must then undergo the
initiation.
Somhairle is most likely to
advance his Gruagachan Arts and
unless he can find a willing teacher he
needs access to vis or use them on a
story, gaining exposure or story
experience, as explained in Hedge
Magic: Revised Edition, page 56. He
may gain further Arts, such as Take,
60
Shape, and Vision, but these may only
be gained through initiation.
Furthermore, Somhairle can neither
read nor write, let alone read the
arcane Ogham used by Gruagachan.
He will need to find a teacher
prepared to teach him Artes Liberales
and Ogham in order to then take
advantage of the few written
Gruagachan laboratory texts that may
be found in Hibernia.
As each are craftsmen in their own
right, they may also want to build
Labor Points (City & Guild, page 38)
with the aim of improving their
financial standing, resolving stories
concerning their businesses and
taking the Labor Points reward. Each
requires a surplus of 360 Labor Points
to gain the Wealthy Virtue, so this is
likely to be a long–term goal.
The alternative to using Labor
Points to improve their wealth and
social standing is investing them in
their workshops and the materials
that they use. Eóin may invest in
mannequins, sheers, measures, etc.
and buy only the strongest thread, the
finest fabrics, and the most expensive
fastenings and buckles. Risteard may
buy a new set of knives and improve
his slaughterhouse and find a farmer
selling the best quality sheep and
goats. Somhairle might commission a
larger loom, buy better and rarer dyes,
and even use the wool from sheep
and goats of virtue to make his cloth.
These allow the three craftsmen to
make items of increasing quality.
None of the three have yet been
on pilgrimage (The Church, page 15),
although given Somhairle’s pagan
sympathies he is unlikely to benefit.
Introducing the
Three Good Men
If you are bringing in the Three
Good Men after the start of your
saga, here are a few ideas to help
introduce them.
 An apprentice undertaking her
The Hunt
A vicious and vindictive young
apprentice in his macgnímartha has
kidnapped the three good men and
dropped them in the Darty
Mountains, just over the Bréifne
border in Ulster. He gives the men a
three hour head start and then he and
his men start to hunt them down.
Their run takes them through
magical and faerie auras, places rich in
vis and stones and herbs of virtue.
Can the three good men find the
resources they need to defend their
ground or even turn the tables and
take the fight to the magus?
macgnímartha may come
across them and form an
alliance to help her learn more
about Connacht and potentially
help her find allies and
resources that she can use in
later years.
 The covenant may need
information on people, places,
or events within Connacht and
may go looking for agents or
proxies.
 Having come across something
of value, the three good men
approach the magi with the
aim of turning their discovery
to a profit. They are able to
lead the magi to where they
found the item or offer
themselves up for future
service.
Stories for the
Three Good Men
Sub Rosa
Stories specifically for the three
good men of Bréifne surround family
matters, social advancement, and the
general political upheaval of conflict
between the great Bréifne families
and even the native Irish against the
Anglo–Normans.

Family Matters
Each of the three good men have
their own enemies, some across
country and others closer to home.
 When a merchant returns to
Carrick, beaten and bloodied,
he tells the story of a lone
bandit who tore into his guards
and overturned his cart. The
description he gives, of a man
who grew to a huge size and
seemed to shrug off the blows
of those trying to defend the
merchant. It sounds a lot like
Risteard. However, Risteard is
not the only one of his family
to carry the battle
transformations. Has his
wayward brother returned?
 It started with furtive glances
in his direction and developed
into whispered conversations
as Eóin walked past. It seems
that the rumours about his wife
and his employee are starting
to spread.
those attending the ceremony
would be a feather in the cap
for any chosen to do so.
However, it seems the steward
is looking for consideration in
return for awarding the
contract. Are Eóin and
Somhairle happy to pay the
price or do they take matters
into their own hands?
 Fergal mac Artan has been
seen in the company of
Carrick’s most senior priest a
fair few times of late and then
one afternoon a meeting is
held in the market square. The
priest has learned of a pagan
tinker working the roads near
the town and he has been using
his ungodly ways for ill. The
priest asks for men willing to
fetch him back to town to face
justice. Can Somhairle risk
finding the man first and
warning him? Or will this only
implicate him too?
Upheaval
The Anglo-Norman lords
continue to spread their influence
across Ireland and both the English
and the various Irish factions will
want to profit from the conflict and
protect their interests. As
independent agents, the three good
men may be employed by both sides.
 The Uí Ruairc summon the
three good men to
Dromahaire; they have a job
for them. A nearby robber
knight has stolen a golden
cross from a Uí Ruairc church
and they want it back. Once
they eventually have it,
however, the cross is not what
it seems and the Uí Ruairc
claims of ownership seem
unreliable at best. The three
good men find themselves in
possession of twice-stolen
property.
 The baron’s son has been
captured trying to fend off

Social Advancement
As craftsmen and members of
their respective guilds, they may want
to advance their standing in society
and within those guilds. In doing so,
they may become embroiled in town
politics, escalating squabbles between
local enemies, and the occasional
brush with Church and state.
Somhairle’s pagan ways, though
carefully guarded, may become
known by others beyond his circle of
friends.
 When a young lad apprenticed
to one of the three friends is
accused of theft the friends
Sub Rosa

must discover the truth in the

face of damning evidence or
face the stigma of having raised
a thief.
 The daughter of a prominent
Carrick gentleman is to be
married to the son of an
Englishman. The making of
the cloth and the clothes for

61
Eóin the Clothier
Leader of the small band of adventurers, and
unaffected by the Gift of either Hermetic or Hedge
wizard, Eóin usually does the talking until matters of
magic arise, and then he concedes to Somhairle. He is
a gambler by nature, however, and he often agrees to
deals on just the sliver of a chance of success or
profit.
Characteristics: Int +1, Per 0, Pre +2, Com +1, Str
–1, Sta 0, Dex +2, Qik 0
Size: 0
Age: 34 (34)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Craftsman; Clear Thinker,
Luck, Unaffected by the Gift*, Vernacular
Education**, Well–Traveled; Enemies (His Wife and
her Lover); Susceptible to Warping***, Weakness
(Gambling)
Personality Traits: Gambler +3, Self–Confident
+2, Practical +1
Reputations: Clothier of Carrick (Carrick and the
surrounding area) 1, Knowledgeable on Connacht
(Connacht Borders) 1
Combat:
Dodge: Init –2, Attack n/a, Defense +3, Damage n/a
Fist: Init –2, Attack +5, Defense +3, Damage –1
Kick: Init –3, Attack +5, Defense +2, Damage +2
Sail éille (bludgeon): Init –2, Attack +8, Defense +4,
Damage +1
Knife: Init –2, Attack +6, Defense +3, Damage +1
Soak: +2
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15),
Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Abilities: Area Lore: Connacht 3 (geography), Artes
Liberales 1 (arithmetic), Athletics 2 (running),
Awareness 3 (alertness), Bargain 3 (hard sell), Brawl 3
(sail éille), Carouse 3 (games of chance), Charm 3 (first
impressions), Chirurgy 3 (binding wounds), Climb 1
(trees), Clothiery 5 (woolen cloth), English 4 (slang),
Folk Ken 3 (townsfolk), Guile 3 (lying to authority),
Intrigue 3 (plotting), Gaelic 5 (slang), Latin 3
(academic usage), Leadership 3 (inspiration), Music 1
(sing), Order of Hermes Lore 2 (personalities),
Organization Lore: Carrick Clothier’s Guild 2
(personalities), Swim 1 (underwater maneuvering),
Teaching 3 (Clothiery)
Equipment: Heavy Leather Armor (Protection: 2);
sail éille, knife, good quality clothes; workman’s
Clothes; survival kit; wax tablet; pack
Encumbrance: 2 (2)
Appearance: A good–looking man with a broad
smile and a well–trimmed beard. With a little wash
here and there and a change of clothes, he would
easily pass in most walks of life.
* Realms of Power: Magic, page 47
** City & Guild, page 109
*** Grogs, page 84

raiders. The baron himself release, they may need to find and the people and their
tasks the three good men with another way to rescue him. protectors are weak and ill-
negotiating his return. To prepared for conflict. Is this
Sub Rosa

 Cathal Uí Raghallaigh gathers

ensure their efforts, he
instructs one of his advisors to
accompany them. The raiders,
however, are men with their
own motives and are not
willing to observe political
courtesies. They intend to kill
the young knight. If the three
good men cannot negotiate his
the opportunity Cathal Uí
his men and levies from
Raghallaigh has been waiting
Carrick for a campaign against
Walter de Lacy. The three for or is this an Infernal lure,
good men are charged as tempting him and his soldiers
into murder and damnation?
scouts to go ahead of the
raiding force and report back Of course, the great families of
Bréifne need no outside enemy when
on the targets. It seems though
that the lands under de Lacy’s
(Continued on page 65)
control are suffering a sickness

62
 Risteard the Butcher
The Riastradh Virtue that grants Risteard his battle
transformations necessitates two sets of some statistics,
such as characteristics, combat statistics, and wound
penalties. These have been calculated and provided below.
Characteristics: Int –1, Per –1, Pre 0, Com –1, Str +3,
Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik 0
Characteristics (Transformed): Int –1, Per –1, Pre 0,
Com –1, Str +9, Sta +2, Dex +1, Qik –3
Size: 0 Size (Transformed): +3
Age: 31 (31)
Decrepitude: 0
Warping Score: 0 (0)
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues and Flaws: Craftsman; Riastradh*; Puissant
Great Weapon, Warrior; Enemies (Keogh the Fir Bolg);
Ability Block (Logic), Simple Minded
Personality Traits: Quick Tempered +3, Honest +2,
Friendly +1
Reputations: Ferocious Beast of a Man (Rumormongers
of Carrick) 1
Combat:
Dodge: Init +0, Attack n/a, Defense +4, Damage n/a
Fist: Init +0, Attack +6, Defense +5, Damage +3
Bludgeon: Init +0, Attack +7, Defense +4, Damage +5
Knife: Init +0, Attack +6, Defense +4, Damage +5
Sail éille (Cudgel): Init +1, Attack +12, Defense +8,
Damage +10
Combat (Transformed):
Dodge: Init –3, Attack n/a, Defense –2, Damage n/a
Fist: Init –3, Attack +6, Defense –1, Damage +9
Bludgeon: Init –3, Attack +7, Defense –2, Damage +11
Knife: Init –3, Attack +6, Defense –2, Damage +11
Sail éille (Cudgel): Init +1, Attack +12, Defense +2,
Damage +16
Soak: +4 Soak (Transformed): +10
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Sub Rosa
Fatigue Levels (Transformed): OK, 0, –1, –1, –3, –3, –
5, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–5), –3 (6–10), –5 (11–15),
Incapacitated (16–20), Dead (21+)
Wound Penalties (Transformed): –1 (1–8), –3 (9–16),
–5 (17–24), Incapacitated (24–32), Dead (33+)
Abilities: Animal Handling 2 (cattle), Area Lore: Carrick
2 (geography), Area Lore: Connacht 3 (geography),
Athletics 3 (running), Awareness 3 (bodyguarding), Brawl 4
(Fist), Butcher 5 (cattle), Carouse 4 (power drinking),
English 2 (slang), Folk Ken 2 (peasants), Great Weapon
4+2 (Cudgel), Hunt 3 (tracking), Gaelic 5 (slang),
Leadership 2 (intimidation), Music 3 (sing), Survival 3
(marshlands), Swim 1 (narrow waterways)
Equipment: Heavy Leather Armor (Protection: 2); sail
éille, knife, peasant clothes; workman’s clothes, butcher’s
apron
Encumbrance: 0 (3)
Appearance: Clearly a strong man with well–defined
forearms and heavy–set shoulders. He meticulously shaves
his head but has heavy brows and a thick brown beard.
Despite the leather apron he wears in his work, his clothes
are inevitably stained with the blood of the animals he
slaughters and butchers.
Appearance (Transformed): The bones down
Risteard’s back burst through his skin in a line of boney
spikes. His muscles bulge and swell and the veins engorge
with blood, flushing him with a bright red color. Here and
there, the pressure inside him bursts, exposing those veins.
His frame grows large and broad and he takes on a
hunched stance, as though the sheer weight of his body is
pulling him down. His jaws grow deep and wide and filled
with blocky and broad teeth.
As a result of his Riastradh Virtue, he has the following
Fomóir Qualities and Inferiorities:
Huge
Large
Improved Soak x2
Reduced Defense
This provides the following bonuses and penalties:
+3 to size
+6 to Strength
–3 to Quickness
+6 to Soak
–3 to Defense
These have been factored into his statistics above. It is
important to note that the –3 to Defense is in addition to
the –3 to Quickness. This means that his transformed
combat statistics show a –6 penalty to Defense totals.
63
Somhairle the Weaver The Mighty Sail Éille: GvBl 10, +14
Somhairle has been created as a standard unGifted Geas upon the Wayward Steward: GvCu 15, +14
Companion character who has been initiated into Appearance: Somhairle is a huge man. He stands
Gruagach magic later in life. He is presented essentially nearly seven feet tall and has a pronounced brow and heavy
straight out of his Gruagachan apprenticeship. –set features. His hands are similarly large and people
Characteristics: Int +3, Per –1, Pre +1, Com +1, Str 0, marvel that a man so ill–proportioned for the job can be so
Sta 0, Dex +2, Qik –1 fine a weaver. His height does not carry over to his width
and he is particularly lanky. He is often called, somewhat
Size: +2
unkindly, the last stick of straw in the field. His blonde hair
Age: 34 (34) is a little long and untidy but he tries his best to look
Decrepitude: 0 presentable.
Warping Score: 0 (0) * Hedge Magic: Revised Edition, page 56
Confidence: 1 (3) ** Hedge Magic: Revised Edition, page 57
Virtues and Flaws: Craftsman, Gruagach*; Give; As with other Gruagachan, his knowledge of his Arts
Giant Blood; Arcane Lore, Blessing**, Curse**; Pagan; gives him a degree of magical defense:
Dutybound, Restriction (Cannot cast magic while bald), Magical Fortitude: Defense against Corpus effects
Vow (Fight Injustice), Weird Magic
Confounding Magics: Defense against Corpus or
Personality Traits: Generous +3, Just +2, Secretive Mentem effects
+1
Immovable Object: Defense against Mentem or
Reputations: Dedicated (Gruagachan) 1 Corpus effects
Combat: These are described in Hedge Magic: Revised Edition, page
Dodge: Init –1, Attack n/a, Defense +1, Damage n/a 10. In effect, Somhairle gains a +1 Soak bonus against
spells and effects that cause physical damage.
Bludgeon: Init –2, Attack +7, Defense +2, Damage +2 Concentration duration effects that include Somhairle in
Knife: Init –1, Attack +5, Defense +1, Damage +2 their target have the Ease Factor of the Concentration
Check increased by 2. Finally, Somhairle has a chance of
Fist: Init –1, Attack +4, Defense +1, Damage +0
resisting effects that control or compel Somhairle in some
Soak: 0 way. Each round that he is under magical compulsion, he
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious makes a (Strength +2 – the magnitude of the effect) simple
roll against Ease Factor 9.
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–7), –3 (8–14), –5 (15–21),
Incapacitated (22–28), Dead (29+) As his Arts improve, so do his magical defenses.
Abilities: Area Lore: Connacht 3 (legends), Bargain 2 Somhairle venerates Brighid, one of the Tuatha Dé
(hedge wizards), Brawl 2 (Bludgeon), Coill Tri Lore 2 Danann, wife of Bres, and the triple manifestation of
(personalities), Concentration 1 (lab work), Dominion Lore Ireland.
1 (saints), English 3 (slang), Faerie Lore 3 (faerie roads), Somhairle’s spells are described below:
Gruagach Lore 3 (personalities), Guile 3 (lying about pagan
The Craftsman’s Gift
beliefs), Infernal Lore 2 (curses), Gaelic 5 (slang),
Leadership 2 (bandits), Magic Lore 4 (enriching objects of GvBl 15
virtue), Penetration 3 (Curse), Pictish Language 3 R: Conversation, D: Limit
(inscriptions), Survival 2 (hills and mountains), Weaver 5
(fine cloth) This spell grants a +1 bonus to the target’s craft Ability.
Sub Rosa

Arts: Give 2, Blessing 9, Curse 9 Example: Knowing how hard his neighbour works,
Somhairle casts a spell that improves his craft ability until
Equipment: sail éille, knife, workman’s clothes, he charges more for a product than would be proper.
peasant clothes, pack and bag for the collecting of herbs
and stones (Base 5, +2 Limit (general))
Encumbrance: 1 (1)
Spells:
The Craftsman’s Gift: GvBl 15, +14
(Continued on page 65)

64
 (Continued from page 64) in ArM5, page 57.
The Mighty Sail Éille Example: To punish a bully for an act of violence,
GvBl 10 Somhairle casts a geas that commands him to act kindly
towards his victims instead. The curse makes the target’s
R: Conversation, D: Diameter, T: Individual hands shake uncontrollably until the bully makes a heartfelt
This spell grants a +1 bonus to the target’s Great apology to his victims. The nature of the curse is perfectly
Weapon Ability for Diameter duration. suited to redress the ill so the target gets a –6 penalty to
their Stamina roll to resist the geas.
(Base 5, +1 Diameter)
(Base 5, +2 Geas (specific, Limit (general)))
Geas upon the Wayward Steward
GvCu 15
R: Conversation, D: Geas, T: Ind
This spell inflicts Palsied Hands, as per the Minor Flaw

(Continued from page 62)
they have each other to face.
 Eóin and Risteard are called
upon to lend their mettle to a
raid on the Druim Leatan
priory, currently held by the Uí
Ruairc. There is no profit in it
and the fight will no doubt be
bloody. What’s more,
Somhairle cannot be by their
side. Do they attempt to escape
service without being marked
as cowards? Or do they try to
avert the fight altogether?
 A harsh winter grips Carrick.
The winds bite and the very air
freezes causing damage to
buildings and killing the
livestock. Not far away, the Uí
Ruairc seem to enjoy a
sheltered winter as the winds
roll sharply south. Their
livestock survive still so as a
matter of survival, the men of
Carrick must go raiding.
Magic
Sub Rosa
line between the hedge wizards and
druids of Ireland and the Order of
Hermes in case his magical power is
overestimated and he makes himself
an unwitting target for their
attentions.
 A young gruagach seeks out
Somhairle for teaching in the
Art of cursing. It seems
however that the young man
has revenge on his mind. Does
Somhairle help him achieve his
revenge or steer him down
another route? Either way, it
seems an injustice has been
done and Somhair le is
dutybound to address it.
 Having found a source of vis,
apparently unclaimed,
Somhairle harvests what he
needs across the course of a
year. Then a letter arrives. It is
from a magus of the Order
who claims the source as his
own and demands recompense
for the vis taken. The source is
in Bréifne, lands forbidden to
the magus, but to send no
might bring out those looking to
challenge themselves against one of
these beasts. Given that the blood is
countless generations removed, these
threats are likely to be fairly minor in
scale but no less deadly in
consequence. Young magi undergoing
their macgnímartha, those months
and years between apprenticeship and
the granting of the Parma Magica,
might seek him out intending to make
a name for themselves in tackling an
e n e m y af f li c t ed w i th b a tt l e
transformations.
Using the Three
Good Men as NPCs
The three good men of Bréifne are
relatively easy to drop into a saga or
story as non–player characters. Firstly,
each has a particular craft that the
covenant might need, providing a
reason for visiting their workshops.
As craftsmen alone, providing service
and materials to the covenant, the
characters detailed in this article make
for useful characters.

response would be an insult.

As an unGifted Gruagach, Somhairle may need an ally to Once contact has been made, they
Somhairle must find a means of intercede on his behalf. might be called upon to act as agents
advancing his Arts and Abilities. on the covenant’s behalf, undertaking
Should Risteard go down the tasks off to the side of the main story
Finding others of his tradition will
route of learning the Clesrada then action and in support of the
lead to stories; perhaps rivalry with
stories should naturally arise; one arc covenant’s aims.
others, competition for resources, or
will certainly be that of petitioning for
payments needed in return for
and undergoing the necessary
training. He must also tread a careful
training. His ancient Fomórach blood

65
 The First Lineage:
The Inventors
T his is the first stage of my
collection of Bonisagus
lineages. Each of the following
wizards are a collection of old and
new Bonisagus magi who can be
placed as NPC’s in your campaign,
and involve a basic story seed for
each, or at least an amusing role-
playing opportunity that will take up a
little time. The magi start at the oldest
and graduate down to the youngest,
but the exact age and power is left to
you to decide for your campaign.
Note that while some virtues and
flaws are entailed, this does not mean
these are the entirety of virtues or
flaws of the magi below.
This lineage follows on from one
of the apprentices of Bonisagus, the
unlauded Hypatia, known to all
Bonisagi (And most magi) as
unrecognied in her time and her early
death in Wizard War, as well as the
66
fact that a Tytalean magus stole her
magical breakthroughs and made a
mint on them after killing her. After
her death, however, Hypatia was
gradually found to be the originator
of lowering many of the base levels to
their current state, though she never
did complete her magical theory of
making all spells effectively at a base
level of 1.
This line of researchers does not
tend to associate with Tytaleans no
matter how they view their ancestor.
Some rumours state that this lineage
of Bonisagus have such facility with
magic that they have kept some of
these lowered base levels to
themselves, but the lineage often
respond with the fact that they are
good at magic because they spend
their time studying, not making up
silly rumours.
By Mark Baker
Bellia Bonisagus
Age: 320 (292)
Quote: “It is such a minor change,
really. But one that could have many,
many repercussions. On first glance it
would seem like nothing but a
benefit. But I wonder if by releasing
my discovery I won’t change the
fabric of the order itself and thereby
bring the Order to destroy itself.”
Theme: Puissant Magical
Researcher concerned about the
impact of her life’s work
Master: Hypatia Bonisagus
Description: One of the oldest, if
not the oldest member of the Order.
Bellia was around at the end of the
schism war and spends most of her
Sub Rosa
 time pottering around with the last
points of her major Hermetic
Discovery – that of completely
integrating the Gentle Gift. Now she
is nearing completion, Bellia has
begun to consider all of the
possibilities of her research – and has
slowed her research until she reaches
a conclusion. She is very much a shut
in, however, so few people know
about her research.
Bellia looks as old as she feels,
which is her only twilight scar of note,
so she usually appears as a late thirties
to early forties matron. She could last
another hundred years if Twilight
does not catch her first; she has
forced herself to use a little less
magic, and her research has slowed
drastically since realising her relative
nearness to Final Twilight.
Personality Traits: The Tortoise
Beats the Hare +2, Driven + 3
(Magical theory integration to bring
peace to the Order), Curious +2
Virtues/Flaws of Note: Driven,
(Minor Magical Focus: Longevity
Potions), Cautious Sorcerer, Reclusive
Story Seed: Bellia is removed
from the Order and so wishes to find
out what the latest generation of magi
are like, and how close they are to the
mundane world; her fear is that if
every magus has the Gentle Gift,
magi will be far more tempted to join
in with mundane causes and become
little more than court wizards. She
begins correspondence with the magi
to begin with to find out their views
on such. Over time, if they convince
her that the Gentle Gift will not
change the fabric of the order, she
may reveal her research to them. But
if the magi are of the opinion that
Sub Rosa
integration with the mundane world is
going to happen eventually, she may
burn her research. If they seem
suitable, Bellia may ask them to carry
on her legacy, specifically if there is an
appropriate Bonisagus in the group. If
not, and no-one else is suitable, she
will have her notes copied and passed
on to Durenmar.
Interesting Item: 1034
Discoveries (Magic Theory Tractatus
quality 8. Involved are 3 research
points for the breakthrough of The
Gentle Gift)
Aemillia Bonisagus
Age: 190 (175)
Theme: Oblivious Weapons
Engineer
Quote: “Oh, that extra heat was
unexpected. Do you think the
peasants will be angry I burned down
their ships? It was an accident, really.
I wasn’t even aiming at them. I mean,
they were miles away. What’s that odd
colour on the horizon? Think it’s a
side effect of creating a small sun?
Write that down, apprentice number
twenty-three.”
Master: Bellia Bonisagus
Description: Aemillia is a creator
of magical spells and weapons of
destruction. She is uniquely gifted in
the creation of such and regularly
creates spells of such incredible
intensity that several houses request
knowledge of her research actions
every season.
She usually appears to be a middle
aged woman with fire red hair,
accompanied by the snaps, crackles
and pops of anything breakable
nearby. She wears a leather apron
over sensible clothes and rarely has
eyebrows. She almost always has a
slightly charred apprentice or two and
a dozen lab assistants in fireproof
clothing.
Aemillia is almost shocked at the
idea that anyone would ever use her
research – because that would kill
people, things, property, land and
nearby clouds.
Aemilla is old, and continues her
dangerous research despite final
twilight rapidly approaching. People
assume that she’ll shortly explode into
final twilight, much like she spent
most of her life. As such, her
apprentices spend a great deal of time
copying her notes and sealing them
away in places other than her
covenant or five miles in the vicinity.
Most of Aemilla’s apprentices have
long since mourned their eyebrows.
Personality Traits: Absent
Minded +3, Oh, I just had an
idea..+2, Whoops! +2
Virtues/Flaws of Note: Magical
Focus (Spells that Cause Mass
Destruction), Inventive Genius, Side
Effect (Randomised Destruction),
Short Attention Span (Defined as
Absent Minded Professor rather than
the actual Short Attention Span.)
Item of Note:
Staff of Covenant Destruction
Aemilla’s staff is currently sitting
against a wall on the outside of her
sanctum, not far from where the
toddlers are kept by the various
nannies of the covenant. It is made
entirely with onyx, glows with fiery
runes, is studded with diamonds and
carved with images of broken shields,
dying people, and burning buildings.
It is activated by pressing the various
interesting glowing gems that look
like candies about halfway up the
shaft. It is not completely filled with
enchantments, but Aemilla forgot
where it was and started a new project
instead.
PeVi The Invincible Shield
Destroyed
This effect will destroy any Aegis
of the 8th magnitude or lower. It has
a side effect of breaking or destroying
a random amount of aegis tokens that
are linked to it and a 1 in 10 chance of
destroying anyone’s Parma Magica
who was within the Aegis. It has
enough penetration to be able to do
so from inside an Aegis of the 8th
magnitude.
Lvl: 40 +2 Voice, Pen +82 1/day
CrIg Touching the Sphere of
Fire
This magical fire simply sets things
in sight on fire for Sun duration. It
67
has a side effect of a secondary
fireblast setting things on fire that
weren’t targeted. The base fire does
+10 damage in a perfect sphere for
sun duration. The sphere is the size of
100 campfires. The secondary attack
will also target one random thing in
sight and do +5 damage at 10
campfires, and the fire changes shape
randomly from squares, rectangles,
flaming horses or otherwise.
Lvl: Base 10 +3 Sight +1 Ind +2
Sun +2 Size +70 Pen Unlimited/day
Story Seed: Aemilla is an excellent
source of items and spells, though she
is not specifically interested in making
them to trade. Being absent minded,
Aemilla might travel to the covenant
to look into a tractatus she hasn’t
already read on some form of magic,
afterwards absently leaving behind an
unstable and highly volatile magic
item, such as the Staff of Covenant
Destruction. Merely being in the
vincinity or hearing of her approach
may be cause for concern for the
majority of covenants.
peasant is now wandering the land
with a snake head or serpent body or
are not wandering at all.
Sepentia seeks a discovery that will
integrate a major virtue as Hermetic,
and then a second to be integrated
into Hermetic Magic perfectly; when
opening the gift that the
Shapechanger virtue also be granted
along with Hermetic magic.
Personality Traits: Snake +3,
Obsession (Change Hermetic Magic)
+3, Cruel +2
V i r tu e s /F l a w s of N ot e :
Obsession, Major Magical Focus
(Shapechanging)
Story Seed: A collection of
maddened snake people and animals
appear to be attacking the covenant.
Sepentia created these unfortunate
specimens as an army, and they work
in unison with each other. While she
swears she never sent them to attack
the PC’s covenant, why are they
attacking? And what will the PC’s do,
especially when they find that they
were once harmless peasants who
harmed no-one? Is Sepentia’s
research worth the cost?
Vice versa, if her research is found
out, Sepentia may ask for aid; why is
she the sudden target of all of House
Bjornaer?
Fulgrim Bonisagus
Age: 40 (15)
Theme: Head of a Spring
Covenant
Quote: Well, once we have the vis
coming in, then perhaps we can look
into a better deal with our

Sepentia Bonisagus
Age: 100 (80)
Theme: Heartless scientist who
will achieve her goals no matter the
cost.
Quote: “Silence, child. How do
you expect me to write my
correspondences when you keep
calling for your mother? She died
yesterday regardless. You can have
some comfort in knowing she helped
me prove a minor point on the nature
of Muto magic and pain receptors,
Sub Rosa

which I am anxious to hear how my

friend Aemillia will reply.
Master: Aemillia Bonisagus
Description: Snakelike and cold,
Sepentia has cold, slitted eyes and
moves with a sinuous grace. Sepentia
has no compunctions about using
whatever means necessary to conduct
her experiments, so many a hapless

68
 neighbouring covenants. First thing’s
first, though - we’ll probably need to
clear out the magical bats from the
cave as they keep biting the grogs and
turning them into more bats…
Master: Sepentia of Bonisagus
Description : Fulgr im was
originally taken as a Trianomae under
a now deceased wizard (Occulus of
Bonisagus), and had his
apprenticeship finished by Sepentia of
Bonisagus, which he barely survived.
He has moved away from her and
since used his general level -
headednes s , f r iendlines s and
organisation to quickly organise a
group of young wizards to head into
the wilderness and found a covenant.
Fulgrim appears relaxed, but is very
cautious of giving offence as he has
suffered at the hands of someone
who tolerated efficiency and punished
anything else. Sepentia failed his
gauntlet on a technicality, though it
was deemed suitable by a group of
other Bonisagi, causing her to grow
annoyed with him and involve him in
her business periodically, including
regularly invading his sanctum or
demanding use of his skills. Fulgrim is
very willing to deal with other wizards
in such a way that can benefit his new
covenant.
One day Fulgrim would love to
begin to integrate the Life Boost
virtue into Hermetic Magic, and talks
about doing such with a wistful
expression. Unfortunately, real life
keeps getting in the way of him doing
anything other than a season here or
there of such research.
Personality Traits: Friendly +1,
Cautious +2, Organised +2
V i r tu e s /F l a w s of N ot e :
Sub Rosa
Tormenting Master
Story Seed: Fulgrim needs help.
His covenant is beset by faeries, snake
monsters, and every other thing that
could possibly go wrong. The few
magi in his covenant are not strong
enough to deal with it... and why are
so many things going wrong all the
time? Could another covenant be
involved? And why won’t the
normally friendly Fulgrim treat with
their representative, Sepentia?
Clara Bonisagus
Age: 60 (30)
Theme: Science Nerd
Quote: Oooh! Bonisagus Fourth
Principle overturned by a simple
falling stone? Objects fall toward the
earth at the same speed regardless of
weight!? Why, the Rego Technique
will need to be completely updated…
no, not updated… replaced!
Master: Bellia Bonisagus
Description: Clara is a true
academic rather than a research based
magus. She is a university trained
Magister (With appropriate spell to
disguise gender), and often writes on
entirely mundane topics. Clara is
fascinated with natural philosophy
and science as well as how it can be
applied to magical thought. Her
unusual thoughts give her something
of a reputation for being a fruit loop
in House Bonisagus, as she has been
heard to discuss how the very
philosophical underpinnings of magic
as written by Bonisagus are incorrect
to their very core and lacking in true
knowledge. These things are
obviously untrue, reason the rest of
the order, otherwise Hermetic theory
wouldn’t work - so she is obviously
insane.
Personality Traits: Focused +3,
Driven (Change Hermetic Theory to
understand new, no longer outdated
thought patterns.)
Virtues/Flaws of Note: Gentle
Gift, Black Sheep
Story Seed: Someone has grown
truly annoyed with Clara and has
challenged her to Certamen over
whether she can speak about her
theories at the next tribunal. Will the
PC’s care enough to interfere, or will
they let a potential revolutionary
genius be stopped by force?
Vir Bonisagus
Age: 40 (15)
Theme: Unstable Researcher
Quote: Damn him! Damn
Aurulentis! I’ve studied this for
fifteen years, fifteen years of my life!
Wasted! I’ll get what’s mine. He’ll see.
He’ll see!
Master: Sepentia Bonisagus
Description: Vir of Bonisagus has
been researching a way to maintain
virility after taking a longevity potion
and been focused on it for so long
that he can barely remember what life
was like beforehand.
And then someone beat him to it.
And the already slightly unstable Vir
went… odd. He doesn’t know what
he wants to do. He doesn’t know
what he can do. He doesn’t know if
he wants to shake Aurulentis’ hand
for a job well done or plunge a knife
into his heart. All he can think is that
his entire life has been thrown into
turmoil and he needs to do…
something.
Personality Traits: Unstable
Genius +5
V i r tu e s /F l a w s of N ot e :
Obsession (Longevity Potions)
Item of Note: Notes on enough
longevity rituals and related effects to
total 49 Breakthrough points.
Story Seeds: The half crazed Vir
may approach a warlike PC with as
much vis as it takes to hire the PC to
destroy Aurulentis. Casual discussion
will reveal that Vir has never even
met the man, and could be slightly
unhinged. Do they take the money
and do the deed, or try for a more
moral solution?
Elvardus Bonisagus
Age: 45 (20)
Theme: Joe Average Magus
Quote: *yawns* Perhaps I’ll look
69
into that Tractatus today. Whats that
dear, you need some milk? I’ll just
pop down to the grogs, will I? Yes.
Whiskers, stop clawing up my tomes
or I’ll use my Perdo Animal to shave
you! Now git!
Master: Bellia Bonisagus
Description: Elvardus does not
stand out too much. Next to his
housemates, his intelligence is not
quite as high, his virtues are not
related to magical research, and his
flaws not particularly exciting. His
views are general on many topics, and
his favourite topics of conversation
tend to be around amusing pet antics
or whatever is happening down the
local tavern.
Elvardus is married and puts
effort into his marriage, which isn’t a
particularly torrid affair. The two love
each other casually and Elvardus
dotes upon his sons. He secretly
wants them to be gifted, but he also
secretly wants a girl, and the wishes
are no more than idle daydreams.
What is unusual about Elvardus is
that he only ‘works’, that is studies or
70
creates items for two seasons per
year. The other two he spends with
his family. All of his children are
secretly horribly ashamed at their dad
who always seems to be about,
embarrassing them with dad jokes
that no-one laughs at.
Elvardus has acquaintances over
House Bonisagus, and has a coveted
contract with House Mercere to
create items and thereby supply
himself with extra vis. He often
dresses in blue robes with stars and
moons on them.
While relatively magically weak for
his age, there is no-one who hates
Elvardus enough who would bother
to declare Wizard War on him. His
vis collection is average but protected
by his covenant.
Elvardus has the fear that the
growing politics of his tribunal will
soon involve him and his family, and
will use any political power he has to
keep the status quo.
Very occasionally, when the mood
strikes him and his wife and children
are visiting family, he works on his
pet project; a minor breakthrough for
a new duration - Song. He does so
because his wife and children can’t
stand his singing.
Personality Traits: Harried
Husband +1, Loving Husband +2,
I’m a Wizard +1
Virtues/ Flaws of Note:
Dependant (Wife and Children),
Temperate
Story Seed: Elvardus could visit
the covenant on ‘holiday’ with his
family. He can show an interesting
dichotomy between the wizards who
barely notice the passing of seasons
and a strong, healthy family. Elvardus
often talks of how he’d love to spend
his seasons like the PC magi, learning
more and greater levels of power;
perhaps after his sons are grown. He
hasn’t taken a longevity potion mainly
because he doesn’t want his sons to
look older than him, and is concerned
his wife will die earlier than he will.
Item of Note:
The Father’s Blessing
This small ring allows a working
father to temporarily gain the
Unaffected by Crying and Fighting
+3 personality trait. Elvardus was
annoyed that he was losing so much
of his time to such matters that he
created this ring. He takes it off when
not in his laboratory, unless the
children are particularly bad.
Iuliana Bonisagus
Age: 60 (40)
Theme: Medical researcher
Quote: Hermetic healing is easy,
Sub Rosa
but requires too much investment.
There must be a way for everyone to
act in concordance with God to
lessen disease.
Master: Bellia Bonisagus
Description: Iuliana grew up the
child of a whore who took on
religious vows and lived as a type of
 nun. With a rather broad view of
society from this position, Iuliana
learned to tend to the sick from a very
young age as well as love God. Being
picked up as a teenager as an
apprentice, Iuliana was given tutoring
in many different areas and given
opportunities she had never had
before - though she never lost sight
of her and her mothers and sisters
work in the slums.
A f t er s h e co mp l et e d h e r
apprenticeship, Iuliana returned to
her family and regularly worked with
them, her magical abilities bringing
enough wealth to them that sister
convents have formed, and Iuliana is
treated as something of a holy woman
- though she always protests at such.
Iuliana knows that many diseases
are from infernal spirits, and so does
research on how the normal person
could prevent such diseases from
affecting them. Some of this research
has some very dubious requirements.
Personality Traits:
Compassionate + 3, Generous +2,
Pious +3, Proud (Obsession) +2
Virtues/Flaws of note: Close
Family Ties, Pious, Plagued by
Supernatural Entity
Story Seed: Iuliana captured a
demon spirit of illness some years ago
to study it, and has not yet realised it
has been replaced with a far more
powerful and cunning demon which
has gradually been trying to change
her. It has had some limited success,
but it has yet to overcome Iuliana’s
basic love of God and it is growing
impatient. In a fit of boredom it
organises Iuliana to be found out as
having captured another, lesser
demon and studying it for years. How
Sub Rosa
do the PC’s proceed against this
apparently innocent and good
woman? And when the truth is
revealed, what do they do?
Rogelia Bonisagus
Age: 30 (25)
Theme: Magus caught between
her gifts and desires
Quote: Please. Please let me go.
Master: Aemilla Bonisagus
Description: Rogelia is a maga
with a good reputation for her limited
years, seen as a bright up-and-comer.
But few know that Rogelia does not
actually have the true gift - her Gift
was given from a demon at the cost
of service.
Rogelia was born into abject
poverty, her parents died of starvation
at an early age. She survived through
her wits until one day she stumbled
across a small group of grogs from a
covenant and Aemilla, who was
absently casting magics. Rogelia was
hurt in the incident and the grogs
brought her to the covenant to be
healed; a brief check for the gift later
and Rogelia was about to be sent on
her way. Seeing the power of Aemilla,
a potent demon approached her in
the guise of a magical entity and asked
her if she wanted power ‘Just like the
mage you saw.’ Not realising that it
was a demon, Rogelia agreed.
Rogelia approached the covenant
and waited for a week before a magus
would check her for the gift again.
Amazed that the gift could now be
detected, Rogelia was made an
apprentice.
Rogelia did not realise the
demon’s requirements, and has done
everything in her power to avoid
dealing with it; she fears for her
eternal soul, but can’t imagine life
without the Gift. She has spent
almost all of her time attempting to
find a way to retain the gift and still
destroy the demon.
Personality Traits: Frightened +
1, Desperate + 1, Good + 1
Virtues/Flaws of note: False
Gift, Major Magical Focus (Damaging
magics), Plagued by Supernatural
Entity
Story Seed: Rogelia is desperate.
When a foreign magus promises her
an end to the demon and to retain her
power, she will do almost anything to
make it happen. If the PC’s find out
she has traded the secret of the
Parma, how will they treat the
desperate young maga?
Varius Bonisagus
Age: 30 (25)
Theme: The Focused Generalist
Quote: A little bit of everything is
much more fun!
Master: Clara Bonisagus
Description: Varius is not
particularly focused on anything; he is
usually dishevelled as if he began to
prepare himself for the day and left
his ablutions halfway through. His
laboratory is filled with half
completed noted and letters and his
whole life is a study in
procrastination. Varius is difficult to
pin down to any project, but
occasionally has moments where he
completes what appears to be
amazing amounts of genius work in
short periods. Varius often invents
spells with odd ranges and durations
simply for the amusement of the
process.
Originally Varius was a house
Verditius apprentice before being
taken by Clara of Bonisagus. His
Verditius master was glad to be rid of
the layabout. Clara was impressed by
the boys natural intelligence but
practically forgot about him when
taken by some new academic theory,
suiting both master and apprentice
well.
Personality Traits: Dabbler +3,
Mercurial +2
Virtues/Flaws of note: Waster of
Vis, Secondary Insight
Story Seed: While visiting the
covenant, Various pays for use of a
71
library because he is suddenly Virtues/Flaws of note: Dark Master: Iuliana Bonisagus
overcome with ideas for new Secret (Diedne) Description: Matthew Bonisagus
inventions. He talks easily about how Story Seed: A Flambeau PC finds is a good magus. He dresses simply
he is going to spend at least seven Trajanus becoming offensive to him and humbly, speaks without
seasons experimenting in the lab. Do and making his life difficult, and the arrogance, and is kind to his servants.
the PC’s object to having their own Flambeau may even suffer an Unfortunately his Mater, Iuliana, was
covenant exposed to risk? unprovoked wizard war. Why does not properly prepared for an
this Bonisagus hate him so? And how apprentice, leaving him somewhat
is he so powerful for someone so weak compared to other magi around
young? him. Matthew has great respect for
Trajanus Bonisagus the work she does, and so does not
blame her; she was after all healing
Age: 20 (20)
the sick, not wasting time.
Theme: Two men in one body Matthew Bonisagus Matthew was introduced to
Quote: My ancestors cry for friendly clergy at a young age and has
vengeance. First I will learn about Age: 30 (5)
cultivated respectful relationships
them. Then I will destroy them. No! Theme: Christian magus with ties with many in the church. He knows
No, they are innocent of any crime! to the church that some wizards eye him askance
Master: Sepentia Bonisagus Quote: Let us hope God is with for hosting visiting clergy, and some
us! Get the eye of newt, I have a plan stricter members of House Guernicus
Description: Trajanus Bonisagus eye him for the magical works he
was struck with a warping effect as a for how to help these people!
young apprentice that sent him deep
into the realms of twilight. Searching
through the endless worlds, Trajanus
found himself in an ancient forest,
watching an ancient warrior Diedne
protect his people against some
warlike Flambeau. Before being killed,
watching his family burn before him,
Cathasach ex Diedne tore out his own
heart, promising to be reborn and
destroy their descendants.
Trajanus was then struck by the
knowledge and memory of Cathasach,
granting him the Diedne Magic virtue
- and the idea he is Cathasach reborn
- which he may well be. Cathasach
seeks to study destructive and
protective magics, as well as his own
cult practices enough that he can tear
a gaping hole in the Order so that he
may watch it die. He has a particular
hatred for any members of House
Flambeau.
Sub Rosa

Trajanus also has elements of

himself, the apprentice that wishes to
learn magic and be a good Catholic. It
comes out occasionally, but the
stronger , domineering Cathasach
usually controls him easily.
Personality Traits: Driven +3
(Destroy Order of Hermes), Peaceful
+1, Hatred (Flambeau) +3

72
 does for the church for free.
Matthew, perhaps due to his
humble beginnings, rarely attempts to
solve problems through the brute
force application of magic, instead
hoping to solve issues cleanly and
with diplomacy. He is a strong
believer but is never overbearing; he
knows such action will not work with
proud magi. He hopes that acting as a
good example of a magus as much as
possible will show other magi that
being Christian isn’t a negative thing.
When not directly helping others,
Matthew looks to invent spells of
different types to help people,
through growing crops, healing
wounds or diseases or similar.
Personality Traits: Pious +3,
Humble +2, Friendly +1
Virtues/Flaws of note: Pious
(Minor), Social Contacts (Church),
Weak Parens
Story Seed: Matthew Bonisagus
wandered through a village near to a
Pagan magus, and Matthew’s good
works and proper demeanour have
convinced many of the pagan villagers
to consider Catholicism. The magical
spirits and fairy spirits have grown
angry at the mage for not ensuring
their sacrifices and have taken
resources in their stead from the
pagan magus. The mage is furious and
demands compensation; Matthew
cannot afford what was taken, and
definately cannot defend himself
against the powerful magus. He asks
the covenant (if any christian magi are
there) to assist him to negotiate with
the mage.
Sub Rosa
Seneca Bonisagus
Age: 55 (28)
Theme: Cloudcuckoolander
Quote: Mmmm, Valerius and
Blandus? I can ship that!
Master: Aemilla Bonisagus
Description: Seneca is known to
be eccentric. A powerful maga, she
appears to have a strange and yet
oddly insightful knowledge about the
future - which is also sometimes
incredibly wrong, and also have very,
very strange ideas about normal life.
Seneca claims to be a time
traveller from the year 2013, where
strange magical communciation
devices are common and the world is
both at peace and in the most
horrifying period of all time. She
makes many odd jokes and finds
some normal medieval life issues
horrifying. She regularly flouts normal
societal conventions, which has had
her run out of more than one city on
charges of indecency.
What is known is that Seneca was
rescued from an odd faerie realm by
her mistress at the age of 10 before
being raised as an apprentice.
Personality Traits: Pop Culture
Fangirl +3 Modern Person +3
Virtues/Flaws of note: Faerie
Raised, Delusion (A time traveller
from the future)
Story Seed: Seneca may contact
any PC with a vague reputation for
healing, telling them that a great
disease will come over the land in the
1300’s. She wants to be able to cure it
if it comes into being, but all she
remembers is that “They called it the
Black Death, the Plague. I’m not too
sure about more than that, other than
there was something about rats.”
Item of Note: Seneca carries a
strange glass-fronted pad that
normally shows darkness, but is
enchanted with very complex
imaginem effects that she controls
through touching the images. She
complains that it runs out of ‘battery’,
and has to cast Auram spells on it to
recharge it.
Rufus Bonisagus
Age: 25 (0)
Theme: Dangerous to self and
others
Quote: With my incredible skills
of deduction and awesome inventing
skills, I have invented a personal
ignem effect that will explode with
such intensity that the hot air coming
from it will propel me to the moon...
Master: Aemilla Bonisagus
Description: Rufus is dressed in a
threadbare robe with voluminous
pockets, which are usually filled with
unusual bits and pieces he has stolen
from around the place. Rufus rarely
focuses on anything from day to day
and instead spends most of his time
either escaping work or trying to
escape his situation, which he blames
on everyone else but him. Intelligent,
but his lack of reason and limited
empathy causes hurt to those around
him, as well as regularly injuring
himself. He is not generally liked,
though it is a matter of some
conjecture in the order how he is still
alive after the time he fell off Mont
Blonc, propelled himself to the lunar
sphere through a self-targeting Ignem
spell or declaring Wizard War on the
entirely of House Tremere.
Personality Traits: Thoughtless
+3, Careless +3, Uncaring +2
Virtues/Flaws of note: Clumsy,
Poor Attention Span, Death
Prophecy (When he gets a clue),
Black Sheep
Story Seed: Rufus may come to
the covenant, and decide that setting
fire to the tablecloth that women are
washing all of the clothing for the
covenant is useful so that people will
be frustrated and hence easier to deal
with when he asks if he can take their
best tomes for a while.
73
Sub Rosa

74
 Mappa Mundi
W e’re not done with
Hibernia just yet. The
Contested Isle: The Hibernian Tribunal
gives you everything you need to start
a saga in one of the most conflicted
of Tribunals, but page-counts being
what they are it has only scratched the
surface of the story potential in the
old myths and legends of that ancient
isle. In this issue, Mappa Mundi
searches out a few more resources to
add depth to your new Hibernian
saga.
There are a number of great
resources available through your local
library and bookstore so let’s take a
look at a few.
Myth and Legend
One of the most important and
useful books for the mythological side
of Ireland is going to be The Lore of
Ireland: An Encyclopaedia of Myth, Legend
and Romance, by Dáithí O hOgáin. It
contains details of countless mythical
and actual kings and high-kings of
Ireland, heroes, monsters, and saints,
and their deeds. Each of these brief
descriptions is ripe with story
potential; wrongs to right, birth-rights
to claim, and treasures to find.
The index is also very useful,
grouping entries under terms such as
Folk Custom and Belief and Peoples and
Traditions.
Sub Rosa
However, we can go further into
the mythical history of Ireland by
picking up a copy of the Lebor Gabála
Érenn. This purports to be the history
of the legendary peoples of Ireland
and it explains in detail how race after
race vied for control of the small
island and how eventually they are
accommodated. It is not an easy text
to read, however, but it does provide
the basis for much of Ireland’s
mythology in one place.
The Lebor Feasa Runda does a
similar job in a much more straight-
forward manner; what you lose in
detail and flavour you gain in brevity.
It also has the benefit of looking at
Ireland’s magical traditions. We can
learn about the days and times most
suitable to magic, about the secret
languages and scripts of Ireland, and
even the various instruments, circles,
and rituals used in Irish magic. It’s a
great resource for those wanting to
bring some real ancient Irish colour
to their saga.
History and Society
For a solid exploration of early
Ireland, the multi-volume New History
of Ireland series, edited by Dáibhí Ó
Cróinín and others, is about as good
as it gets. Volume one runs from pre-
history up to about 1169 and covers
topics as diverse as Iron-Age
settlements, Latin literature to 1169,
and the development and usage of
coins, the High-Kings of Ireland, and
even Ireland’s music of the period.
Volume two takes the story through
to the early 1500s, which provides a
vast scope for your saga, and covers
economics, architecture, trade and
relations, and the further
development of literature and culture.
A more convenient, though less
detailed, view of Ireland through to
about 1200 can be gained by reading
Early Medieval Ireland 400-1200, by
Dáibhí Ó Cróinín. This book
contains chapters covering Law,
Family and Community, The Viking Age,
and specifically the history of Ireland
1014-1200 during the tumultuous
time of upheaval.
information to as
companion to The
There is enough
a very competent
Contested Isle: The
Hibernian Tribunal and bring more
depth to the table.
First-Hand Sources
If you want the authentic period
view, then you can do no better than
going straight to Gerald of Wales and
his History and Topography of Ireland.
Often deeply opinionated, his
recounting of his journeys through
Ireland influenced the Norman-
English who followed in the wake of
the initial wave of Strongbow, King
Henry, and then King John.
Gerald characterises the land as
fruitful, rich, and fertile and makes
mention of the many deep lakes that
are stocked with plentiful fish. Its
people, however, he is not so
generous with. He reports that many
are not baptised, that the clergy are
lax in their offices, and just how many
seem to be born lame or blind or with
some other deformity. His meaning,
we think, is clear; the land is ripe and
full but its people unworthy. This
attitude is one that clearly colours
much of The Contested Isle: The
Hibernian Tribunal.
We can read of the cow that was
partly a stag, how the mud of Ireland
does not contain the seed necessary
to spawn frogs, a cross in Dublin that
can speak and can only bear truthful
witness, and how the saints of Ireland
are more vindictive there than their
counterparts elsewhere.
If you were to invest in just one
additional book to give your
Hibernian saga additional colour, it
would be this one without doubt.
75
In the Next Issue
Rats Magica
Hidden in plain sight, a band of rats have learned the Hermetic Arts.
by Jason Tondro

Designing the Intangible Assassin

Hermetic Projects introduced the Intangible Assassin. This article explores ways to
optimize such a character build, featuring sample characters and exploring
different themes and (perhaps) some surprising House choices.
By Pelle Kofod and Christian Rosenkjaer Andersen

Covenant Finances
An alternative system for managing covenant income and expenditure.
By Mark Shirley

Subscribe to Sub Rosa

Sub Rosa relies on subscriptions to continue and thrive. If you enjoyed this issue, encourage your
friends to subscribe, or take out a troupe subscription. Check our website for details.

Contribute to Sub Rosa

Sub Rosa is looking for articles and illustrations for future issues. All contributors receive a free
copy of the magazine their work appears in. Unsolicited contributions are welcomed.
See our website for details on how to contribute.

Check for Updates

The Sub Rosa website is updated regularly with news about the magazine and exclusive web-only
content. You can also email Sub Rosa for more information.

www.subrosamagazine.org
@subrosamagazine